The Ward 26 Town Hall meeting held Wednesday evening at Leaside arena heard Staff Sergeant Matt Moyer speaking on policing matters. Staff Moyer, a Leaside resident, said that the task force seeking new efficiencies and improvements has concluded that the TPS should not be in the school crossing guard business. It was one of a number of things that could probably be done just as well by civilians, he said. Moyer noted that the important crossing guard service is done largely by elderly people and that in cold weather they are frequently unable to work When they are absent, the police fill in. He said his youngest crossing guard passed away in the fall at the age of perhaps 70. In future, the TPS hopes to see this job assumed by school boards.
NOISY PARTIES?
Staff Moyer said police should not be sending “two officers earning $90,000 a year each to go and investigate a noisy party in Leaside.” He cited such things as neighbour disputes over minor matters like where a repairman placed his ladder and accident reports just so an insurance company can allocate a claim. He said the task force will report to the police board Thursday and there will probably be announcements made Friday or over the weekend on these and similar reforms to policing.
PARKING PERMIT PROJECT
Moyer said he has a two-man task force checking the validity of handicapped parking permits in and around Leaside. He recalled how young people using the permits dash into the beer store in Leaside Centre or the Tim’s at Merton and Mt. Pleasant. Unlike his disabled grandfather who had only one leg, Moyer is unforgiving of this conduct and said he is seizing permits when they have been misused and fining the offenders $400.
OTHER SPEAKERS
Other speakers at the Town Hall, which was organized by Jon Burnside (Ward 26) were Stephen Conforti, of the City budget office, Jon Gaitanakis of the volunteer North Leaside Traffic Committee, Erica Cooke of the South Leaside Traffic Committee (also volunteer) Jamie Robinson of Metrolinx, Shawn Dartsch of Transportation Services and Michael Sraga of Planning Partnership, the Laird Focus Study Consultant.
