City hopes new auxiliary officers will play a role in Windsor's downtown plan

Keegan Reid wants people to come say hi if they see him this summer in parks, along Riverfront Trail or at Festival Plaza in the city's downtown core.

The Lakeshore, Ont., native is one of 40 new auxiliary officers sworn in by the Windsor Police Service earlier this week.

"I'm super friendly and I want to talk to you."

An increase in foot patrols is part of Windsor's new plan to strengthen and revitalize the downtown core. 

The new hires join a team of nearly 100 auxiliary officers — pushing that total to almost 140 next year.

It'll be the largest complement of auxiliary officers the city has ever had, and with $217,000 more allocated to the program, the largest budget increase to the auxiliary officer program since 2018. 

The newest members of the team were sworn-in this week, in a ceremony with friends and family, after months of training. 

"We have an incredible auxiliary team, they punch above their weight all the time," said Windsor police chief Jason Bellaire at council on Monday. "They do excellent work and you will see a lot of them as the nice weather rolls in."

Auxiliary officers typically monitor parks and trails and work special events across the city in pairs, wearing uniforms. While it's volunteer work, many, like Reid, see it as a stepping stone to a career in policing because it offers valuable training and on-the-job experience.

Reid's dad served on the force for roughly 30 years, he says, and considers his new position an honour. A job with Windsor police is his end goal.

"It's not a genetic thing, but I feel like seeing, leading, learning from his example — seeing what the service offered him in return — had a real impact on me to choose Windsor for the auxiliary program," Reid said. 

Reid says he wanted to join the auxiliary to help build the trust of the community in their police service.

"I want people to feel that the police are approachable, that you can talk to them," he said. "That was something that the chief emphasized in our swearing in … how they're going to be a bigger presence for auxiliary officers in our downtown core."

Windsor police will also see 12 new officers hired as part of the new plan to strengthen the city's core — which was unanimously supported by council.

Auxiliary officers do not carry guns and can't make formal arrests, but do have batons and handcuffs. They can enforce park bylaws like issuing tickets for liquor offences and smoking violations. 

The city says it's found the uniformed presence helps prevent vandalism and provides a sense of safety. 

Eue King says the biggest reason for him to join the auxiliary was to get involved in his community.

King grew up in the city's west-end, graduated from Assumption College Catholic High School, took the border services program at St. Clair College and now works at the casino in addition to his police volunteer work on the auxiliary. 

The Windsor native says he wants to give back to where he grew up.

"I see myself eventually in law enforcement, hopefully Windsor police, but really, I just want to be a member of law enforcement."

He says the auxiliary unit is a good stepping stone for policing and will provide him solid life and communications skills.

Is the city putting too much emphasis on policing?

Not everyone thinks more policing is a good thing. 

Marion Overholt says she worked in downtown Windsor for roughly 40 years and saw the decline over time.

The community activist and legal aid retiree previously told CBC some people worry about safety — while there's also a human need for people with nowhere to go.

Overholt says she believes the city's new plan is too heavily weighted toward enforcement and policing.

"Trying to paper-over by providing more policing is just going to criminalize the situation and not going to resolve it — and not going to provide that long term solution that downtown business owners and residents are hoping for," she said.

According to Overholt, Windsor's downtown core needs more investment built around homelessness, addiction — like a safe consumption site and treatment programs — along with more affordable housing.

"Those issues aren't being addressed. What city council is saying is not their responsibility. And it may not be their fiscal responsibility but it absolutely is their moral responsibility and they need to use their influence to bring the provincial government here."