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1Police want to get out ~ of court security and prisoner transporting By CARRIE BRUNET The Champion Police chiefs across Ontario are looking to the Province to create legisiation that will maximize the number of police officers in front-line duties. A motion put forward by the Ontario Association of Chiels of Police (OACP), SUIDA déPi/t 22, lofti OR ROicfleN ON-UNE 4r WIVW.UPERIT/EIIWL.CM which met laie last month in Oakvtlle. requests legislation ihal would dismiss police oticers from prisoner transpottation and court security duties. -We are flot advocating the elimination of police jobs by this approach but indeed the better use of police olicers," OACP president South Simcoe Police Chtcl Bruce Davts said. -We strongly believe our prisoners and courts must be kept secure and we support ail efforts ioward these objectives. We do flot believe police oflicers should required 10 do this. They are flot core functions as defined in the Police Services Act." Core lunictions defined under the act include crime prevention, law enforce- ment, victim assistance, public order main- tenance and ensergency response. Instead, the motion suggests that correc- tions officers or private security officers be assigned these duties. While he wouldn't speculate on the number of oflicers currently perlorming these duties, Chief Davis said olficers often spend long hours in corrections rotes. This hecomes especially apparent in Northern Ontario, where distances between courts and jails can he long. Halton Regional Police Chief Ean Algar said it won't he an especially big issue in this region. Currently, special constables, who aren't sworn police officers, handle the bulk of prisoner transportation, he - e CORRECTIONS on page 9 r!