Dufferin OPP welcomes new commander, Insp. Terry Ward

Written By Fatima Baig

The Dufferin Detachment of the OPP welcomed their new Commander, Insp. Terry Ward on Jan. 11, 2021. 

Insp. Ward believes in community policing and because of that, Orangeville will see an increase in foot patrol and visibility. 

“I am a firm believer in community policing. You will see an increase in foot patrol, you will see an increase in visibility and I think that speaks volumes for creating a safe environment where the citizens in Orangeville will feel safe and secure,” he said. 

Moving forward Insp. Ward wants to provide “efficient delivery of programs for the community of Orangeville to provide the best public safety that we can.”

Along with changes such as increased foot patrol and visibility, Orangeville is establishing a major crime unit, said Insp. Ward.

“Orangeville will have a major crime unit, were going to have a community street crime unit that will focus specifically on drugs and property crimes. They are going to see a good result from this unit within Orangeville and Dufferin County,” he noted. 

Insp. Ward wants to focus on two aspects of policing – education and enforcement.

“We're going to educate with property crimes, drugs and all that stuff but we're also going to have that enforcement piece such as traffic safety, drugs,” he noted. 

Insp. Ward believes community policing is an important part of educating the public, which is done through the lock it or lose it program, media releases, and social media. 

Since OPP has taken over policing in Orangeville, challenges they face locally are learning the standards of the OPP. 

Insp. Ward said, “the officers that were with Orangeville police now work for the OPP, so they know how to be police officers. The challenge for them is learning the OPP way of doing business.” 

However, the changes in how they operate won't affect policing. 

“It's not that policing changes it's just that maybe the reporting structure is a bit different, our job is to do the best we can in providing public safety for the community,” said insp. Ward. 

Going forward, the OPP plans to uphold its vision and values. 

“Our vision is a safe community to secure Ontario and within Orangeville we plan to complete our mission which is to serve our province by protecting its citizens, upholding the law and preserving public safety,” said Insp. Ward. 

He first began his career with OPP in 1995 at the Goderich Detachment. He went on to serve in various roles and areas, including as a member of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), in the VIP Security Section, as a frontline Sergeant and as the S/Sgt Operations Manager at the Collingwood Detachment. 

Ward is also a recipient of a Commissioner's Commendation and a Police Exemplary Service Medal. 

The Dufferin OPP is responsible for all areas of Dufferin County, which now includes the Town of Orangeville, and on Feb. 18, 2021, will include the Town of Shelburne.