Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
BARRY’S BAY – Traffic enforcement is a top priority for the OPP in 2026. Insp. Sarah Darraugh (acting) informed council for the Township of Madawaska Valley (MV) about 2026 focus areas during a delegation at the Feb. 3 meeting.
Darraugh told council the Upper Ottawa Valley detachment is working on retaining officers and ensuring officers are visible in the community for community interaction as well as enforcement. The detachment enrolled three new recruits in 2025, specifically for the Killaloe branch and has two scheduled between February and May for the Killaloe office. Additionally, one member transferred to the detachment from another area.
She explained that the detachment is training coach officers to make integration of new recruits more efficient and working to promote from within rather than go outside to hire.
“We have fantastic officers, we just need to give them that opportunity to develop themselves,” she said.
“The commissioner has highlighted that for 2026 … his priorities right now are traffic and bail compliance.” Darraugh said, of where the OPP is focusing for the coming year.
Traffic numbers have fallen since the pandemic and are down 27 per cent in MV for the early part of 2026.
“That needs to be increased,” Darraugh said, frankly.
She also noted that violent crime numbers are down 13 per cent so far in 2026 and, “we want to continue that trend.”
The inspector provided an overview of the Offender Management Apprehension Program and described it as “bail reform.” Officers are designated solely to deal with bail compliance matters.
“These are your high-risk offenders that are out on forms of release,” and violate terms of the release around things like curfew, house arrest or other conditions of release. UOV has two officers dedicated to bail monitoring which allows other frontline officers to spend more time on other day-to-day policing matters. An offender who is found in breach of release conditions will be arrested and, “we’re going to put that onus back to the courts.” Darraugh said people would likely see more news releases from the OPP relating to breach of conditions. “It is a positive for us.”
Darraugh explained, with respect to traffic issues, she has assigned an officer dedicated to traffic. The officer’s shifts will be scheduled to coincide with times when more traffic is on the roads.
The detachment is putting a greater focus on community policing, as well. Darraugh recalled her last visit to MV council with then-Insp. Steph Neufeld where Coun. Mary Blank spoke about a lack of visibility of police in the community.
“It stuck with me. I remembered it,” said Darraugh, referencing her high school years when police were more visible in the community.
“We would rather meet them and deal with those situations and have those interactions before we have to deal with them in a negative manner,” she said. “You’re going to see greater presence with foot patrols. Our officers are out there more. They’re going to be in the arena. They’re going to be in the downtown doing foot patrols.” Officers will also begin visiting schools and daycares to interact with children and youth. “It’s to put those faces back into those classrooms, to those gyms, build that connection again,” and rebuild community interactions.
“I think we got more answers from you today than we did last year from, uh, the previous person,” said Blank following Darraugh’s presentation. “I think this is more realistic and more adapted to our area.”
Blank asked, knowing Darraugh could not answer the question, why the municipality has to pay for overtime for officers brought in from other detachments.
Coun. Shelley Maika spoke about vandalism in the area and concern that the issue is being unaddressed. Darraugh replied that the detachment will do patrolling in the areas of concern, however, it’s difficult for them to target patrols if they don’t know what times the incidents are occurring. She assured council they will make more patrols during the 10 p.m. to midnight timeframe, which may be the time when incidents are occurring.
robert@thevalleygazette.ca
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