Windsor police chief Jason Crowley says a reference to the mayoral election in a letter requesting a search for hidden listening devices at city hall was simply meant to provide context to the OPP. Crowley offered that explanation at Thursday’s Windsor Police Service Board meeting after Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac questioned what the election had to do with the security request. Gignac read from the letter’s acknowledgement that there was little evidence of listening devices before it noted this was a mayoral election year. “What does that have to do with a request to come and perform a service?” she asked. Crowley said the OPP had sought additional information after receiving the initial request. “The OPP did come back after the initial request with a couple of different questions,” he said. “So, it was just a little bit more information that, ‘hey, this is context to the request.’ Nothing specific. It was just a way to put context to it.” The June 10 letter, signed by Crowley, requested assistance from the OPP’s Security Assessment Unit to sweep the mayor’s office and other relevant areas of city hall. It said Drew Dilkens had approached police earlier that month with possible security concerns. While noting no devices had been discovered and there was little evidence suggesting any were present, the letter also referenced that 2026 is an election year and some incumbent councillors have “liberal access to many areas of city hall.” It did not name any councillor or accuse anyone of installing a listening device. At Thursday’s meeting, Crowley said his responsibility when requesting assistance from another police service was to explain the circumstances behind the request. He said police had recently completed an investigation into a serious threat against Dilkens that resulted in an arrest, with a suspect spending “some considerable time in custody.” Crowley also pointed to closed police board meetings held at city hall, where confidential discussions take place. Addressing the election wording, he described it as “a simple contextual piece” and said it had been included before anyone declared their candidacy. “It was just a way to put context to it — and really, that’s where it came from,” said Crowley. Gignac recalled at least two security sweeps at the old city hall. She questioned why the OPP would need an election reference to understand the request and suggested any concerns could have been addressed by phone. “I’m surprised to see it in a written letter, that this was even brought up as maybe one of the reasons why we would be conducting a search,” she said. Speaking to CTV News on Sept. 12, mayoral candidate Dilkens said the request came through the city’s corporate security department and had nothing to do with the municipal election. Asked why the letter mentioned the election and councillors, Dilkens directed questions about its wording to Crowley. He said neither the city nor his office had raised the election as a reason for the request. “That never even factored into any of the communication,” Dilkens said. Dilkens described the sweep as a precaution to protect confidential discussions in the mayor’s office, the chief administrative officer’s office, and rooms used for closed council meetings. Those conversations could include potential investments and what the city was prepared to offer to attract new business, he said. “We don’t want our [regional] competitors to know that,” Dilkens said. He said roughly a decade had passed since a similar sweep and that the city waited months for the specialized OPP unit to become available. “There was no urgency. It’s just a simple best practice.” Thursday’s exchange also included questions about how much information concerning requests for police assistance should appear in public board agendas. Gignac raised concerns about disclosing security arrangements for large gatherings and other events. Crowley said police must balance transparency with officer and public safety. He said the service was reviewing which information should be discussed publicly and which should be considered in closed meetings. “The procedures are definitely being reviewed,” Crowley said. The chief also offered his view that security sweeps should happen more regularly in public buildings, including city halls, police stations and courthouses. “That’s my opinion and my opinion only,” he said. “I think it’s that important.” Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gignac said her experience on council and municipal boards had shown her the importance of protecting buildings, sensitive information and critical services such as water treatment. She said she was surprised by the attention surrounding the latest sweep, given her recollection of similar searches at the old city hall. “I see all kinds of delegations from foreign countries coming in and having access across city hall. It makes sense,” she said. Gignac said security checks should become routine, rather than something considered only after a concern arises. “We’re a large corporation. We need to keep everything secure,” she said. “Whether that policy comes from city hall through its security departments or from police as a recommendation, it should be happening regularly.” Before Thursday’s meeting, Windsor police had declined to explain the election reference when asked by CTV News, saying the service “cannot comment on matters involving the security of municipal buildings or public officials.”
