Kingston Police and City Bylaw ramp up Stay-At-Home enforcement
Kingston Police and City of Kingston Bylaw officers have ramped up enforcement of the province’s Stay-At-Home Order and Mayor Bryan Paterson’s Emergency Order to close Breakwater Park.
In total, police and bylaw officers have issued over $36,500 in fines related to the Orders over the past three days.
On Thursday, Apr. 8, 2021, shortly before 8:00 p.m., City Bylaw officers issued three notices for violations of the Mayor’s Emergency Order at Gordon Downie Pier at Breakwater Park, Dr. Kieran Moore said in an interview. The fines associated with those notices totalled $6,180 in Administrative Monetary Penalties.
And, one day after giving residents notice that Kingston Police would be taking a different approach to enforcement, officers laid tens of thousands of dollars in fines. On Saturday, Apr. 10, the Kingston Police’s Community-Oriented Response and Engagement (CORE) Unit handed out 17 tickets for Stay-at-Home (EMCPA) offences at $880 each, 17 tickets for Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) regarding gatherings over 5 people at $880 each, two liquor tickets at $125 each, two trespassing tickets at $65 each, and one traffic ticket for $110.
Kingston Police Sergeant Steve Koopman said the majority of the fines were issued in parks and recreational areas around the downtown core and university district. “This included but were not limited to City Park, Victoria Park, Confederation Basin, and along the water towards Breakwater Park. We were also led at times to areas as reactive calls for service as directed by dispatch, so our geographical area was dictated both by proactive dispersement and reactive response to citizens’ complaints,” said Koopman.
While demographics were not specifically gathered, Kingston Police says the input from CORE unit officers were that the majority of those issued tickets were Queen’s students. “Discretion was used when applicable and understandable, but any charges laid usually meant there was a blatant disregard for the Stay-At-Home order and keeping gatherings smaller than five,” said Koopman.