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Page 2. Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, May 5. 1993 Burglary victimn gry over police reLqusponse By Mike Kowalski A Whitby burglar victim is not im pressed with Durham Ilegional Police new method of handling non-emergency calîs. While police are ecstatic about the early success of a pilot pro- ject designed to free up offlicers for more serious matters, Larry Cuddy does not share their enthusiasm. Cuddy, a resident of the Dun- das Street trailer park, had approximately $2,000 worth- of tools stolen from his home almost three weeks ago. But as of last Thursday, police had not yet met with Cuddy 'face-to-face' as ha feels they should, or been to his home to inspect the scene of the theft. Police, however, insist they are pursuingf the matter. Details of the incident to aid their investigation were received from an report fliled by Cuddy and fromn telephone cal la follow- inq receipt of the report, police saîd. During the morning of April 17, Cuddy discovered tEhat someone had broken into his tool shed. But due to a previous committment, he had to delay reporting the burglary to police until that evening. "I wss told they don't corne out to B&Es (breaking and entering) anyrnore," said Cuddy, "I'd have té corne in and file a report." .Since he does not own a vehi- cie, Cuddy had to wait until the following Monday to have a friend drive him to police head- quarters in Oshawa to obtain the necessary form. Cuddy delivered the form the next day (Tuesday) and it was sent to the Whitby detachrnent for investigation that day. On WedLnesday, Cuddy recei- CULLEN GARDENS AND MINIATURE VILLAGE Iî &Rhododendron On NO W! Until May 241h, Tulip Festival feaîuring 80,000 lulips. k NEW this year... 300 Rhododendrons on Display frorn May 151h t0 301h "The Big Bang" 5 F ireworks Display on May 24th. CULLEN GARDENS TAUN ON RD. 300 Taunton Rd. W., Whitby, Ontario TG tANT DOG delays travelers going to 668-6606 Whitby HWY 2 llen Gardens Festivities.. Adrrssion Charge H Y0-X ved a caîl from Sgt. Gord McKechnie, head of the 'Alter- nate lIes ponse Unit' (ARU), who ex lained the new procedure. rh e ARU began operating as a pilotpr et in Whitby, Os hawa and Newcastle on March 15. It operates between 7 a.m. and rnidnight, and deals with calîs where there's "no threat to life, lirnb or property,". McKechnie told The Free Press in an earlier interview. Calîs to the 911 centre are rated either emergency, requir- ing immediate police assistance, or non-ernergency. The latter are recirected to two ARU oflicers in Oshawa. They either handie the cail b y phone or send one of four ARU cars -- one in Whitby two in Oshawa and one in Necastle --to deal with it, either im- rnediately or by appoinitment at a later time. The saine day McKechnie cal- led, a detective frorn the Whitby detachment also phoned Cuddy. "I was told somebody was working on the case," hie said. On April 26, Cuddy again cal- led police but could not find out when an officer will attend at his home. "I still haven't seen anybody,» hie said. Cuddy appreciates the need for police to respond to the most urgent calîs and that police are often harnstrung by lac of man- power and 'over-reglation'. «'I understand trhey have pro- blens ... morale is low, they ant draw their guns," said Cudidy. "But if they can't answer B&Es, do you have to stay home 24 hours a day and gu ard your house with a basebaîl bat?' he asked. "cBy the time they g et around to it the chances of finding the stôlen articles are pretty slim." Cuddy said one officer he spoke with agreed that police should h ave e livered a report formi to him since he lacked- transportation. «They told me a car should have corne out and brought me a form because I have no car," he said. But that does not lessen Cuddy's anger. "Whiat burns my ass is they sit up here with radar traps but the don't corne to help,» hie said. MceKech nie said the theft report was processed the same dayCuddy gave it to police. But he conceded that some malters receive Iower priority. "It depends on the backlog, it works on a priority basis,' he explained. "If it's not serious or pressing, some thingsý have to go on the back-burner." McKechnie said Cuddy's has been the only complaint from about 2,000 calîs police have received since the new system took effect. "We're still going through bir- thing pains, but overall it s been a phenomenal success," he said. "You can judge by walking downtown yourself. If y ou se any policemen (on foot patrol) it's because we freed up some time." Det. Jack Schoon of Whitby detachment said police have fol- lowed up on possible suspects suggested by Cuddy. But he could not indicate when he may be able to visit Cuddy's home. 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