TECUMSEH, Ont. -- The cost for policing in Tecumseh is among the lowest in the region, but it's being impacted by an increase in 9-1-1 misdials.
Council on Tuesday received a report on the cost for OPP service since 2020 is the final year of the town's six-year contract.
The report says Tecumseh ranked third lowest in 2019 in cost per household for policing services in the region at $400 per household.
Lakeshore, Leamington, Essex, Kingsville and Pelee Island are also serviced by the OPP while Windsor, Amherstburg and LaSalle use municipal forces.
The cost for policing in Tecumseh is calculated by a base service plus calls for service.
It's estimated the cost of policing in Tecumseh is about $3.5 million.
That cost includes officers attending to more 9-1-1 misdials.
Stats show misdials have jumped 65 per cent over the last year for an average of 30 calls per day within the Essex County OPP detachment area.
As of October 12, 2019, the OPP had responded to 1,082 9-1-1 related misdial calls in Tecumseh alone.
Those misdials contribute to the cost for calls for service and each 9-1-1 call is responded to with two OPP officers at an average time of 1.2 hours a call.
About 30 officers report to the Tecumseh detachment.
Council approved lobbying the telecommunications industry and smart phone manufacturers to develop a solution to the misdial issue.
