Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith has commented on the recent stabbing of a Peterborough Police Service officer over the weekend.
Smith wrote a letter on his views of the stabbing and recent remarks made by a member of Peterborough city council about defunding the police.
The entire letter is below:
“Over the weekend, we once again had a demonstration in our community of why it is imperative that our police service is well supported. Every single day the brave officers and staff of the Peterborough Police Service come in to work to protect our community. Each day their wish is to go home safely to their families at the end of their shift. This past weekend, one of our officers was placed in a position where she was not able to go home safely to her family, and both for the grace of god it could very well have ended much more tragically than it did.
My thoughts and prayers go out to that officer and her family. It is my hope that she has a speedy and complete recovery. Although I count many of our officers as my friends, I cannot honestly say that the officer who was injured is someone that I know well.
We do have an exceptional police service in Peterborough. We have approximately 200 officers and civilian staff who look for the best in people every day and do everything that they can to make our community better. They volunteer with kids organizations, with community housing organizations, mental health organizations and on parent councils at schools to name but a few.
They are our neighbours, our friends and they are people who put their lives at risk every single day just to make sure that we live in a safe community.
Because of recent events in the US, there has been a local narrative to reduce funding to our police. I would like to remind people that events in the US do not reflect the community approach that our police services takes any more than events in Toronto or Montreal do. Many times I have heard “this is not Toronto.” Likewise, this is not Chicago. Our service, its officers and civilians are an example of how community based policing should be. I was disheartened to see the comments of one of Peterborough’s city councillors with respect to defunding. I have been very disappointed by the lack of leadership at city council over this issue.
We have an exceptional police service in Peterborough. One that we can all be very proud of. We should be celebrating and applauding the work of these officers, thanking them for doing what they do. And lastly, regardless of your religious beliefs, saying a prayer that the officer injured over the weekend can fully recover and go home to her family again because of her actions made Peterborough safer for you and I.”
Peterborough Police Service – Suspect Facing Attempted Murder Charge – Officer Stabbed
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
