The Town of LaSalle is receiving more than $270,000 from Ontario’s Proceeds of Crime Grant Program to help police strengthen surveillance and patrols along the Detroit River. The three-year grant is meant to improve public safety. Outgoing Mayor Crystal Meloche told AM800’s The Kyle Horner Show that the investment addresses a key policing priority for the municipality. “It’s called Project Birds Eye, and it was for the purchase of four new drones, and those drones are going to monitor the Detroit River shoreline in the town of LaSalle,” Meloche said. “As well, it’s going to allow us to have additional marine patrols to enhance our safety and response capabilities on the water.“ Meloche says the funding comes from assets seized through criminal activity and redirected into community safety projects. “It’s called Proceeds of Crime Grant, and so really what that means is when a crime is committed, those funds can be turned over to the Crown, and the Crown has put it back into a grant program so it goes back into communities to protect them,” Meloche said. As chair of the LaSalle Police Service Board, Meloche says grants help police services acquire equipment and training that might otherwise have to be funded through the municipal budget. “Anytime you can get grant funds to help offset these things, it does help the community overall. Obviously, from a safety perspective, but also when it comes to the bottom line of tax dollars,” Meloche said. Meloche also touched on the outcome of last week’s municipal election. Meloche lost the mayor’s race to Michael Macri by 76 votes, and said she had already planned to step away from municipal politics after one more term and doesn’t expect to run for office again. She added that she’d still like to stay involved in the Windsor-Essex community. The inaugural meeting of council is set to take place Nov. 17.
