2 people charged at Old Colony Mennonite churches due to large gatherings, say CK police

Chatham-Kent Police have charged two individuals for violating provincial public health measures under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) at two Old Colony Mennonite churches due to large gatherings. 

On Sunday, police responded to calls of large gatherings at the Old Colony Mennonite Church locations in Dresden, Charing Cross and Wheatley. 

An officer determined the Old Colony Mennonite Church in Dresden was in violation of current public health restrictions. A 50-year-old man from Dover Centre, was charged with failing to comply. 

Police also charged a 40-year-old man from Dresden for failing to comply. 

A third location in Wheatley is currently under an investigation after an officer responded to calls of a large gathering at the Old Colony Mennonite Church there. 

According to Const. Renee Cowell, public information officer for Chatham-Kent Police, the three Old Colony Mennonite churches have been charged 16 times under the Reopening Ontario Act. The Wheatley church has seven charges, the Dresden church five charges, and the Caring Cross church has four charges all under the Reopening Ontario Act. 

"We (CKPS) continue to work with the Crown Attorney's Office and Ministry of Attorney General for a court injunction that will require churches who continue to defy the ROA to comply with the current provincial restrictions," said Const. Cowell. 

Cowell explained police generally charge the person who organized the gathering or event, or the person who comes forward to take responsibility.

Last weekend two locations of the Old Mennonite Colony Church were charged under the Reopening Ontario Act. 

Ontario entered Phase 1 of the Road to Reopen plan on June 11. The capacity for indoor religious services shifted from a maximum of 10 people to a maximum of 15 per cent capacity. 

Chatham-Kent Police services could not provide the exact number of people present at the Dresden or Charing Cross churches from this past weekend.