Police to Respond to Fewer Collisions
By Liz Monteiro Reporter Waterloo Region Record
WATERLOO REGION – Next time you’re involved in a crash, a police officer may not be called to the scene.
Under a new partnership with Accident Support Services Ltd., police will decide if they will attend collisions depending on the severity of the crash, injuries and whether the collision is suspicious.
Police say the partnership allows officers to attend to other priority calls.
“It allows us to now redeploy officers to other police duties and crime prevention initiatives,” said Insp. Sharon Havill.
“That time is always important and valuable to us and equates to money in the budget,” she said.
In 2018, police responded to 13,646 collisions.
The partnership took effect Tuesday.
Historically, police responded to all collisions, whether they were serious or involved minor injuries.
At times, individuals could wait a few hours for police to respond if the crash wasn’t serious, Havill said.
The partnership frees up officers to take other priority calls at a quicker pace.
“It’s a win-win,” she said.
Police are still encouraging those involved in crashes to call them.
Once the collision has been determined to be minor and not requiring the presence of an officer, the parties involved will be asked to exchange information and report the crash to the Collision Reporting Centre.