The OPP and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) have announced that the Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol (STOP) Program on OFSC Trails is being discontinued.
The STOP Program was a partnership between the OPP and OFSC volunteers from the snowmobile community who were appointed as Special Constables / STOP Officers and who assisted the OPP with snowmobile patrol on OFSC Trails.
Shawn Flindall, Director of Public Relations for the North Bay Snowmobile Club says he's surprised and disappointed with the news.
"We certainly welcomed these officers on the trails. It's a great safety precaution to have them out there. It's not just speeding that they're controlling but also people without proper insurance or proper permits and enforcing all kinds of laws and rules on the trails.
"I'm disappointed to say the least that it's going to be discontinued," he told BayToday.
The program has undergone a number of changes since it began in 1995 and the OPP needed to review and re-evaluate the program, says a news release.
OPP did not provide an available contact for an explanation, nor did the OFSC.
The release says following a comprehensive review and in consultation with the OFSC, both agencies agreed that it was no longer feasible to continue the program. They did not give details on why it was no longer feasible.
The program was in its 20th year.
“The OPP greatly appreciates the contributions of the STOP Officers who have volunteered their time to assist the OPP with snowmobile patrol on OFSC trails over the years,” said OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes.
