OPP closing Provincial Communications Centre in Smiths Falls

OPP to close Smiths Falls Comms Centre More than 100 jobs affected as the OPP decides to move its communications centre out of Smiths Falls. CTV's Dylan Dyson reports.

OTTAWA — Ontario Provincial Police is closing the Provincial Communications Centre in Smiths Falls, affecting 100 employees at the eastern Ontario facility.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the OPP confirms it will close its Provincial Communications Centre early next year, with a phased decommissioning of the facility to be completed by June 2022.

"There will be no impact on frontline policing within the communities we serve," said Bill Dickson, OPP acting manager of communications.

"Call-taking and dispatch duties will be moved to the Communications Centre in Orillia. The OPP is implementing provincial call sharing, which will allow calls to be answered by the next available call taker at any OPP Communication Centre, regardless of where the call originates."

Dickson says the OPP's decision to close the Provincial Communications Centre in Smiths Falls came after a "comprehensive review and analysis of workload."

Just over 100 OPP members work in the Provincial Communications Centre in Smiths Falls, mostly civilians.

"We are committed to supporting all of those impacted by the changes. This includes a variety of options, including potential transfers to other OPP locations," said Bill Dickson, OPP acting manager of communications.

Employees will have the option to retire, take a severance package, or transfer to the OPP Communications Centres in London or Orillia.

The mayor of Smiths Falls is disappointed another employer is leaving the community.

"What I feel for are the people involved, and if it's 24 of our citizens, it's 83 people who maybe live within an hour of here," said Shawn Pankow.

"It's still families and people who are impacted."

A civilian OPP employee told CTV News Ottawa staff feel angry and betrayed after being told for years that the communications centre would not close. The employee, who wished to remain anonymous, says staff will receive their official notice in September, and will have five days to decide whether to take a severance package or move.

"They're really the first point of contact for any member of the community who wants to speak to the OPP in an emergency or some other situation," said Chris Lewis, former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.

Lewis tells CTV News Ottawa the communications staff are an important part of the OPP family.

"That's very sad because they're very close to the officers they dispatch and it's just sad reality of a difficult business decision, said Lewis.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Claudia Cautillo.