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6 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday,November 16, 2010 OPINION 9-1-1 The Halton Regional Police Service is recognizing the 25th anniversary of the 9-1-1 police, fire, ambulance emergency phone line in Halton. Since its inception in 1985, Halton Region's 9-1-1 emergency line has received more than two million calls. On Nov. 15 of that year thenRegional Chairman Peter Pomerroy and thenHalton Police Chief W.I. James Harding activated the system by dialing the first 9-1-1 call in the region. "We will never be able to determine how many lives we have saved or crimes we have prevented by the 9-1-1 system " said Halton Police Chief Gary Crowell, "but we do know it works and plays a vital role in keeping residents in the region of Halton safer as a result of its presence." Police would like to remind the public about some of the challenges they face with regards to 9-1-1 on a daily basis: · Educate your children on the proper use and importance of 9-1-1, but also make them aware that calls to the 9-1-1 line are strictly for emergency situations or to report a crime in progress. Police receive 3-5 calls a day on average on 9-1-1 from children playing with the phone · Police discourage people from programming the 9-1-1 number into the auto dial feature on their cellphone · When you dial 9-1-1 from your cellphone the signal goes to the closest cellular tower. Always be prepared to advise the 9-1-1 call taker what city or town you are phoning from, so the proper agency can address your emergency · If your matter is a non-emergency, call Halton Police at 905-878-5511. You can also use the new Halton online police reporting system through its website (www.haltonpolice.ca) to report lost property, theft of property valued at less than $5,000, theft from a vehicle, and damage or vandalism to a home or vehicle. The offence must have occurred within Halton, there must be no known suspects and it must not be a crime in progress. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) WEB POLL RESULTS Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod has proposed making November 11 a statutory holiday in Ontario to honour our war veterans. Do you support this proposal? · Yes (67%) · No (33%) Steve Nease Go to www.independentfreepress.com Letters to the editor Parents, kids made Halloween a treat job well done. Once again confirming that Georgetown is a great place to live and raise a family. Kim Robertson, Georgetown Dear editor, I took such delight in handing out Halloween candy to the little ones this year. I so miss taking mine own out, but they have all since grown up and moved away to university. I was overwhelmed by each and every one of those little munchkins. Both my husband and I noticed that each child that came to our door was so polite. I don't think there was one child who didn't say thank you and wished us a happy Halloween! Even the parents would yell from the bottom of the driveway and thank us too. It wasn't only the little trick or treaters, we even had older goblins come to the door and pick up food for the food bank. I thought that was just an incredible idea! All too often teenagers get a bad rap, here was a group of older kids doing something so unselfish and kind. Their act of compassion and thoughtfulness should not go unrecognized. So here's to you parents of Georgetown and your children too, Coward `irresponsible' Dear editor, While doing our weekly shopping, locally in Acton as we all should, on Saturday, Oct. 30, my wife and I exited the Holland Shop after spending maybe 20 minutes inside. Upon returning to my vehicle I noticed it was scratched and dented on the driver's side door. The damage is relatively insignificant; it may cost between $50 and $100 to repair, and I chose that estimate carefully, but that is not the point. The point is: whoever did the damage to my car left the scene without leaving contact details. The reponsible person or persons, if he/ she read this, may think "$50-$100 worth of damage--peanuts." It just so happens, I do not have that money to spend on repairs. We are all in an economic recession and I recently lost my job for that exact reason. The company I was working for had to close its doors. The vehicle in question was purchased in July, on an 84-month pay- ment plan, before I was notified of the company's closure. Even whilst working, our budget was tight. This vehicle has to last me a long, long time and additional costs, above and beyond normal wear and tear, are not in the budget. Maybe, just maybe, the next time you (coward), damage someone else's property, you may think of my words. I hope you have a well-paying job, which allows you to pay for irresponsible damage to your property caused by irresponsible people, and that you can sleep peacefully at night. I, for my part, am slowly losing faith in humanity. Hans Tunney, Acton Letters to the editor policy Letters must include an address and daytime telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. E-mail: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Carriers offer thanks Dear editor, This is a little note to say thank you to the nice lady at #44 in Georgetown South (you know who you are). You appreciate the job we do and show us that by leaving a little something for us as a thank you. It's a lot of work being a paper boy, so thank you for recognizing the job we do. Samuel and Jack Mitchell, Georgetown The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.