ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Coke6pk]

Thanks!

Question: on the radio, they talk to WRPS and refer to them as “Paid-Duty Officers”. Why is that?

My guess was to discriminate between regular officers, and the ones that are specifically requested to help out with testing? ie so a bunch of regular police don’t show up to an intersection to protect it?

It’s just weird to me because... everyone is paid to do their job. I’m a “Paid-Duty Mechanical Designer” but that’s not what my business card says

The Paid-Duty Officers are typically called in for overtime and use whatever spare cruiser they have in the garage (like the Pride cruiser).

"Paid-Duty" has been correctly defined in this forum.  It is a position that is paid by a private entity.  They are offered to sworn officers on their time off.  Paid Duties include things like Rangers games, Parades, Oktoberfest Festhalls, Concerts and Large Outdoor events.

Back in the day, the officers were paid in cash or cheque at the end of their duty.  This was ripe for abuse and the negative perception of a grocery store manager paying cash to an officer who was standing at the front of the store all night [Not sure if it still happens, but Toronto Police used to have a paid duty at the Dominion Store on Wellesley St on Friday and Sat nights].  Today, when an event is being planned, rules are set on the number of paid duty officers required.  [ie. AGCO may say you need minimum of 4 police officers per festhall.... themuseum requires one officer for proms held there).  WRPS will pay the officer and it goes on their T4, and the client will be billed.

The reason for the call sign on the radio, each "zone" that officers are assigned to have a call sign.  It stays with the zone, not the officer working it.  When there is a paid duty they are identified by that call sign as they don't have individual numbers, and they zone officer working that area is separate and available to take calls.

As for the Pride cruiser, its assigned to the Traffic branch, and is normal rotation... not just "in the garage".

Coke