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Wednesday, April 1, 2009 Orono Weekly Times - 7 Help shape the future of local policing The Durham Regional Police Services Board (DRPSB) is once again asking citizens to help shape the future of local police programs and services. Public consultations for the Board's next business plan have been scheduled for April and May in all eight municipalities. It's your chance to help shape the strategic direction of the Durham Regional Police Service and offer your insights into program and service delivery issues. "I encourage citizens to come out, learn more about the exciting and innovative plans we have in place and help us plan for the future," says Board Chair Terry Clayton, "We have had great experiences in the past reaching out to citizens and listening to their ideas and opinions." Police service boards in Ontario are required by law to have multi-year business plans -- blueprints for policing programs and service delivery. The DRPS operates within a three-year planning cycle and the upcoming community consultations are in preparation for the 2011-2013 Business Plan. Past and current Business Plans are available on our website www.drps.ca. The Business Plan helps us achieve our statutory core functions: crime prevention; law enforcement; assistance to victims; public order maintenance; emergency response; and administration/infrastructure. "Our strength stems from the support we receive everyday from citizens in Durham Region and the incredible partnerships we enjoy with community agencies," says Chief Constable Mike Ewles. "We have to build on this goodwill and these partnerships and a big part of that is listening to people and benefiting from what they have to say." Our current strategic direction is to move towards a more proactive service delivery model that addresses the root causes of crime. This will change the way we do business and allow officers more time to solve problems and interact with the community. Our success will depend on our collective co-operation and commitment to public safety in Durham. We would like to build on this principle and hold consultations with residents and stakeholders to ensure our service delivery is as effective as possible. The Clarington public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 13, at the Garnet Rickard Recreation Complex, 2440 King Street West in Bowmanville, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. If you are unable to attend the public consultations, but would like to provide your input, please respond to us in writing, or by email at businessplan@drps.ca by May 14, 2009. For further information, please visit our website at www.drps.ca. Intermediate Group 2 girls skating to Hairspray at Orono's 62nd Figure Skating Carnival last Saturday. More pictures next week!