The new Dufferin OPP detachment offices officially opened last week as “a symbol of the excellence” of the provincial force, but “the real excellence is the people who work inside it,” said retired Staff Sergeant Walter Kolodziechuk, who now serves as deputy mayor of Amaranth.

The estimated 120 who attended the opening – police officers active and retired, politicians, prosecutors, the architect and the builder, and members of the general public – were given a video glimpse of the cramped and sometimes wet conditions of the former detachment on County Road 124. The video included 10 ducks waddling in the flooded basement, shared by two constables and a number of filing cabinets, among other things.

The ducks, possibly the property of Sgt. Dave Quinton who acted as director of ceremonies for the opening, would have been during the tenure of Staff Kolodziechuk.

The unauthorized duck platoon might have helped bring the new building to fruition by demonstrating one of the problems at the old detachment.

(Apparently the flooding problem was solved at the old building, but the crowded conditions weren’t.)

By contrast, the new detachment offers an exercise and change room for the officers, a platoon room, secure cells where “overnight guests” are escorted out of sight from anyone in other parts of the detachment.

Rick Bartolucci, minister of community safety and correctional services, and OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino had kind words for each other at the opening.

The minister used a Wayne Gretzky quote to describe the commissioner’s abilities. He said Gretzky told him a “good” hockey player skates to where the puck is, but a “great” one skates where the puck is going to be. He said Mr. Fantino “skates where the puck is going to be.” The commissioner returned the compliment by describing the minister as totally supportive of the OPP and, as one who would strap on a gun and go on patrol “if conditions permitted.”

Detachment commander Staff Sgt. Steve Sills and Mr. Fantino both spoke at length of the advantages of the modern new building, both as an efficient facility and as a morale booster for the officers who bring a measure of comfort to the public – often at great personal risk.