New RR police station officially opened Thursday

Ken Johnston
Editor

Last Thursday Rainy River celebrated the grand opening of the new Ontario Provincial Police building there.
Since the late 1980s the old facility, located on Tower Road and Highway 11 was seen to be inadequate. At one point the local O.P.P. officers were moved out of it when noxious fumes from old underground fuel tanks leaked into the building.
The building was originally built to house the Ministry of Natural Resources staff. Then the O.P.P. began sharing the space with MNR and eventually took over the entire building. That 900 square foot building had to serve many functions often proving its inadequacy when things like the fridge and microwave had to be put in the vault.
Regional Commander Lt. Al Dawson gives the credit for the new, “state of the art facility” to O.P.P. Commissioner Gwen Boniface. “She visited the detachment and pushed for its replacement about three years ago,” said Dawson.
“Clearly the building was in need of replacement,” said Boniface Thursday. “It was clearly not sufficient for the year 2000... modernization was needed.”
Her efforts landed Rainy River a 5,000 sq. ft. new building which is fully equipped for today and tomorrow’s needs. RR O.P.P. Sgt. Dave Saunders said that the new holding cells, of which there are three, have been fairly busy since they moved into the building in May. “They allow our officers to spend more time in the community doing their jobs,” said Saunders. Prior to having the cells the officers had to transport prisoners to either Emo or Fort Frances, which ment Rainy River and the surrounding area may have been without police protection for periods of time.
In addition to the holding facilities the building houses a Scenes of Crimes Office where specialized work like lifting finger prints is done. It also has two interview/interrogation rooms, office space for officers, locker storage for the officers, a reception area, a conference room that can double as a command center during local emergencies, as well as a heated garage for police vehicles.
Currently six OPP officers and two sergeants are posted at the RR O.P.P. satellite office.
Several dignitaries gave speeches at the ribbon cutting ceremony. They included M.P.P. Howard Hampton, Commissioner Boniface, Reg. Commander Dawson, Staff Sgt. Hugh Dennis, RR Mayor Gordon Prost and former mayor, now Pastor Gord Armstrong. Sending regrets was Grand Chief Leon Jordain and Area Tribal Chief Dan Kelly.
Dawson said that with the approximately 300,000 vehicles that cross the Baudette-Rainy River border every year, a good facility was needed. They feel that they have reached that goal with the new facility.