With five officers recently graduating and more new recruits being hired, the Timmins Police Services Board chair hopes to have the service at its full complement next year.
This week, the board approved hiring four new recruits. They'll start at Timmins Police on Aug. 21 and head to the Ontario Police College (OPC) for training in September.
If all of the new hires pass the provincial training, it will bring the local police force's complement of officers to 84. The service is approved for 96 officers, though it's yet to reach 90 officers.
This year, the board has been focused on recruiting — even offering a $30,000 incentive to attract experienced officers — and the province has opened up more training opportunities at OPC.
If all goes well, board chair Kraymr Grenke hopes to hit the full complement next year.
“Spring of next year would be our ultimate goal,” he said.
To do that, the service is aiming to have five recruits at OPC in January and five in March. He said there's a couple of direct hires in the works as well.
