Cobourg takes education-compliance-then-enforcement approach
By Cecilia Nasmith
The Town of Cobourg and Cobourg Police Service are working together to bring clarity to the community on the province's Stay At Home Order and the Provincial Declaration of Emergency by taking a complaint-driven enforcement approach and launching a multi-tiered awareness campaign.
Members of the Cobourg Police Force will work with the town's Bylaw Enforcement Officers to ensure the community understands the latest restrictions and that they stay safe and healthy.
The educational campaign will focus on education, compliance and (lastly) enforcement. It will be launched digitally across all on-line channels, along with the launch of a new Enforcement Hotline.
With the new regulations, Chief Paul VandeGraaf said, the Cobourg Police Service has worked with the town and with the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit to ensure everyone stays safe and healthy.
“Cobourg Police Service members will continue with regular patrols throughout the community, respond to calls as they come in and focus on compliance and education with enforcement as a last resort,” VandeGraaf said in the press release.
“We encourage everyone to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and others. If it's not essential, please stay home.”
The Stay At Home Order took effect Jan. 14 at 12:01 a.m. for all Ontario. This means you must stay home and go out only for such necessities as getting food and medication, attending medical appointments, supporting vulnerable community members, child care, attending school or a post-secondary education, banking, exercise and walking a pet, accessing government services and going to work (if you can't do it remotely).
Businesses must ensure that all employees who can work from home do so. Do not travel outside your region (or the province) unless absolutely necessary.
Cobourg Police Service Special Constables, uniformed officers and municipal Bylaw Enforcement Officers will continue community patrols, and will respond to calls as they come in. They will not be stopping people randomly.
Under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and the Re-opening Ontario Act, certain fines apply.
Failing to comply with an order made during a declared emergency - $750
Obstructing any person exercising a power in accordance with an order made during a declared emergency - $1,000
Obstructing any person performing a duty in accordance with an order made during a declared emergency - $1,000
“We each have a personal responsibility to limit our travel to essential reasons only, to slow the spread of COVID-19 and try to keep our families and communities safe and support our hospitals and health-care workers,” Mayor John Henderson stated.
“I want to thank our residents for abiding by these orders, and police service and bylaw officers for helping assist the community on how to do just that.”
For more information on enforcement during the Stay At Home Order and the Provincial Emergency Declaration, you can call the Enforcement Hotline at 905-372-4301 ext. 3 or visit www.cobourg.ca/enforcement.
