After considerable push-back from police associations across Ontario, the provincial government is now walking back the concept of police checks to ensure residents are only going out for essential purposes.
A number of police forces across the province said their focus would be on education and enforcement, only when necessary, without making random vehicle or pedestrian stops.
The government is now officially stripping this short term “power”, which would have given police the right to stop any pedestrian or driver to find out where they were going or request for their home address.
When the announcement came Friday, both that evening and Saturday morning police in towns and cities shared on social media they did not intend to conduct random stops on citizens, including the Stratford police.
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, made the decision to revoke the powers given to police after enough police forces said they were not going to follow the new powers given.
Adrian Wooley, President of the Peel Regional Police Association says the measures were in direct conflict of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The OPP say RIDE programs will still be out on the roads stopping individuals to ensure they are driving sober.