A 'safe' designation from Maclean's generates lots of smiles in Caledon
By Bill Rea

Maclean's magazine has named Caledon the safest place in Canada, and local officials and residents are swelling their chests with pride.

The March 24 edition of the national magazine listed the most dangerous cities in Canada, but it also included a single-page story by Kate Lunau, stating in the headline that Caledon is a place "where you can't get away with anything."

"Of the 100 biggest cities or regions in Canada, Caledon is the safest," the story stated, adding the conclusion was based on data from 2006, which combined the statistics for six types of crime; murder, sexual assault, breaking and entering, vehicle theft, aggravated assault and robbery.

Mayor Marolyn Morrison was quoted as giving equal credit to Caledon OPP and the residents of town, adding the local police detachment "recognize that a safe community has to bring everybody together."

Inspector Andy Karski, detachment commander, was also quoted at length, commenting his officers are visible in the community. There are about 100,000 interactions annually between the police and public, and Karski said there were only 12 public complaints from that last year.

There were also comments about restorative justice in the article, which involves bringing victim and suspect together before a mediator instead of a judge. this method has been used a lot in Caledon since 2006 for non-violent occurrences, like neighbour disputes and vandalism.

"It gives the victim a voice," Karski was quoted as saying, adding "the suspect has to sit there, and listen to it."

He was also quoted as observing that this restorative justice method has resulted in no negative follow ups with any suspect.

The article also delved into socio-economic factors in Caledon, mentioning the extensive wealth in town, but also pointing to some problems, such as lack of affordable housing and a shelter. Caledon Community Services Executive Director Monty Laskin was quoted as saying it can be "very hard to be poor in Caledon."

Not surprisingly, the Maclean's article came as very good news for the mayor.

"I'm thrilled," she declared. "I'm absolutely thrilled."

"I really, really thank the OPP, because they've given us outstanding policing, and I think the result's because they are involved," she added.

"This is a wonderful accomplishment and truly an honour," she declared. "In partnerships with community members and council, our Caledon OPP have worked hard to find Caledon solutions to Caledon problems. We are grateful for the unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of our residents from Inspector Karski and his team. Council's commitment to having properly planned communities in the future will ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to maintain a safe and healthy community."

"The article draws national attention to the excellent relationship Caledon OPP has with the citizens of Caledon, its mayor and councillors and the municipal staff," commented Karski. "All of us have worked towards developing Caledon-made solutions, and the results are something to be proud of."

Coincidently, Tuesday was the day for Karski's quarterly report to Town council on the state of policing in the community, and several people used it as an opportunity for compliments and praise.

Morrison presented Karski with a framed copy of the magazine's cover.

Councillor Doug Beffort congratulated Karski, commenting the designation in the Maclean's article was due in part to the way his officers treat people.

Karski responded by referring to the low number of complains from the public.

"I find that extraordinary," he declared, commenting it's due largely to the professionalism of his officers. "It's something that we monitor, it's something that we're proud of, but it's something that doesn't happen by accident."

He also told Councillor Nick DeBoer there are going to be challenges in maintaining the current status of Caledon.

"Growth is probably the biggest challenge," he said, commenting the places cited by Maclean's with having issues have also been experiencing growth that has outstripped their support mechanisms. He added Caledon appears to be well-positioned to deal with that.

Councillor Jason Payne praised the success police have had in the local schools. Karski agreed, observing officers have been patrolling the halls, visiting the classes and being seen around the hang-outs. "It's been a success story for us," he remarked.

"It shows what a strong and close-knit community we have," Dufferin - Caledon MP David Tilson stated last week from his Bolton office, "and Caledon's ranking as the safest region in Canada speaks to the dedicated and hard-working officers at the Caledon detachment of the OPP."

"I am extremely proud to be the Member of Parliament for Caledon," he added, "the safest place in Canada!"