Wednesday, May 12, 1976 Region 0 fwe can by BRIAN WINTER Staff Writer The fate of Whlitby's police station on Rossland Road hangs in the balance today as the Durham Board of Police Commissioners and the Whitby town council ask the regional council to put enough money back into the police budget to keep the station open. The town council, headed by Mayor Jimu Gartshore, and accompanied by about 15 to 20 concerned citizens, won the police commission's support of its request to approach regional council on the matter, after an emotionally-charged hour-and-a-half meeting with the commission Saturday afternoon in Oshawa. After listening to the renarks of the councillors and private citizens expressing concern about the level ot police protection in Whitby, Police Conmission meiber Judge J. P. Kelly put forth a motion that the police commission ask the regional council to put enoumgh money back into the budget to keep the Whitby division siation open. Regional council and the police commission earlier this year had voted to close the station as of June 30 as an economy measure, and open a "storefront" police ofHce im downtown Whitby. When Judge Kelly's motion caine to a vote, there was a tie, and Police Commission Chairman Tom Jermyn broke the tie in favor of the motion. Judge Kelly and commissioner Lorne Grahamn supported the motion, while commissioners Jack Anderson and Alan Dewar voted against it. A supplementary motion by Judge Kelly to have the region keep the station open anyway, was defeated in lighmt of the decision on his previous motion. Mayor Gartshore opened the meeting by stating that the town had sent the police commission two letters, one requesting that if money is put back into the police budget that it be used to keep the Whitby station open, and the other requesting the police commission to ask the region to put funds back into the budget to operate the station. The mayor pointed out that the public meeting held in Whitby April 29, attended by more than 200 people, "showed extreme grave concern. The people were adament that the police station remain open", he said. Mayor Gartshore told the police commission that the economics of a storefront building do not make sense. "We have a city of 27,000", he said. "The people are extremely worried. Petitions are going around the community". He also stated that there is concern about proposed changes at the psychiatric hospital that would permit that institution to treat the criminally insane. Mayor Gartshore also stressed that historically Whitby has always had a police station, and it means something to the people of the town. Councillor Ken Hobbs made the strongest representation at the meeting, stating that some members of council and private citizens were prepared to go all the way to Ontario Premier William Davis to see that the police station remains open. "The citizens of Whitby have started to speak and wîll continue to speak, and I as a representative of the town must follow their wishes", he said. "If this situation is not resolved by the police commission or regional council, there are other steps we are prepared to take. We are not prepared to sit back and allow this to take place. We will not accept the closure of that precinct on Rossland Road". Despite his firm approach to the matter, Councillor Hobbs expressed his thanks to the police commisssion for an increased police presence in Whitby since the public meeting. Councillor Don Lovelock took an economic approach to the subject, stating that the saving of $40,000 to $70,000 by closing the police station at the end of June represents only one tenth of one per cent of the total police commission budget of eight and a quarter million dollars. Continued Page 2 ma decide today keep our station Durham Regional Police Commission Chairman Tom station open. A number of local citizens standing along Jermyn sits at the end of the table (centre)a istening to the wall listen intently to the presentation made Saturday Whitby's Mayor Jim Gartshore (on right side of table) at the regional police headquarters in Oshawa. present the town's case for keeping the 18 Division police Free Press Photo by Mike Burgess, Chairman Jermynbreaks tie vote, supports request for more money moneyinto tmobudgetétn ey isue a sak: hecoi to vte w nt reprell An even division of opinion on whether to keep the Whitby police station open or close it, was evident at the meeting between the town council and the Durham Board of Police Commissioners Saturday. Commissioners Judge J. P. Kelly and Lorne Grahani were in favor of asking the region for enough money to keep the station open, while Commissioners Alan Dewar and Jack Anderson, both members of the regional council, were not. Police Commission Chairman Tom Jermyn broke the tie in favor of approaching the regional council for the money. Judge Kelly put forth the motion to approach the region for the money to keep the station open. "I understand the police commission will support the regional council if it puts the money into the budget but only if the regional council wants it open'", he said prior to a vote being taken on his motion. Judge Kelly's motion received support from Com- missioner Lorne Graham, who stated: "I do not believe I could support a motion supporting the closure of Whitby and leaving Ajax untouched". The regional council recently reversed a police commission recommendation to close the Ajax police station, but supported the closure of the Whitby building. Mr. Graham pointed out, however that he considered the clearance rate by the regional police was better than under the former Whitby police. Commissioner Alan Dewar commented that ne sawtwu issues at stake: the closing of the Whitby police station, and police presence inWhitby, and he did not consider they were necessarily tied toge ther. "I do not believe the police presence problem is solved by keeping the station open", he said. Crime prevention activity will not be affected by closure. I could support keeping the station open if regional council agrees to put the money back into the budget, but I don't believe (Judge Kelly's) motion is the way to do it". Mr. Dewar went on to say that "the quality of police service in Whitby will be affected by closure of the building. If regional council wishes to spend more money to keep the building open, I will support it", he sa u, V u vù1L lu m to vote with Judge Kelly to ask the region for the money. Commissioner Jack Ander- son stated he did not consider the Whitby building a proper facility because it did not serve the needs of the people, and was in the wrong location. He, along with Mr. Dewar, voted against asking the region for the money to keep the building open. "If the region puts the money back, then it's up to them", he said. Mr. Jermyn as chairman of the police commission, did not state his position until he was called upon to break the tie vote. However, he told the Whitby town councillors and citizens vho appeared before the commission Saturday: "The things said are very thought provoking. I would like to think things over before we make a decision". Vol.6 No. 19 REE RES 20 Pages 1; à L. d