'Hot spot' strategy being adopted OPP wide
By ALAN LICZYK Staff Reporter

Caledon OPP is "light years ahead" with its traffic management plan, its detachment commander told Caledon council recently.

Inspector Andy Karski said the "hot spot" strategy he initiated in Caledon is now being adopted OPP wide.

He announced the 10 hot spots in 2005 which are the high volume and high complaint areas for traffic. Since that time, the number of fatalities from traffic collisions has been reduced by 50 per cent, he said.

He added he doesn't think any of the four fatalities on Caledon roads this year has been in a hot spot location.

He's currently reviewing the hot spot list, but he thinks eight or nine of the locations will be the same. Charleston Sideroad will be a new area for police to look at, he said.

Karski told council he has two police officers in the local high schools and that will increase to three officers in January. They are looking for student interaction.

Councillor Annette Groves said this is a great opportunity for students to relate to police officers.

"I see this as a really good thing," she said.

Karski pointed out the officers won't be in the schools Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The inspector also informed council his detachment has received two new black and white cruisers. He added the entire fleet will be replaced in two years.

"Whatever's old is new again," he said.

He also talked briefly about an alleged sex assault that took place in Inglewood in September 2005. He said the investigation is now closed and the victim was charged with fraud and mischief. It was the first time in his 22 years of policing that Karski charged a victim.