Council Votes Against Police Presence in South Huron

by Bob Montgomery

South Huron councillors voted against a motion put forward by Mayor George Finch asking that the OPP re-establish a police presence in Exeter.

Finch, who retired after thirty years with the OPP, says when the OPP detachments were shut down in Exeter and Wingham in 2020 they were supposed to be replaced with store front offices in both towns, but that didn't happen. After reviewing the matter recently, Finch concluded there should be an independent third-party investigation into why that didn't happen. Finch says council had the option of supporting the Mayor's motion or not supporting it and in a recorded vote, they defeated the motion five to two.

Finch says the support of council was necessary if he was going to pursue the matter any further and that support wasn't there, so that's where it ends. He says he can't go any further without council's support.