New Interim OPP Commander questions motives of groups

INTERIM OPP COMMANDER URGES UNITY

QUESTIONS MOTIVES OF SMALL FACTIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF DISPUTE

Posted By BOB LIDDYCOAT , CHRONICLE MANAGING EDITOR

Interim OPP Detachment Commander John Periversoff held a media scrum last week to ask for cooperation in healing the rifts in Haldimand County.
Periversoff takes on the position for a six month period while a permanent replacement for retiring Inspector Dave McLean can be found.
Periversoff, who grew up in Cambridge, said he is very familiar with the area and is distressed by the polarization of groups in the community.
"I was always struck with the beauty of the area and the cultural interaction. I felt it was a comfortable, friendly, cooperative area. But I have really noticed the trauma in the area causing a fracture between aboriginal and non-aboriginals," he said.
He said he comes to the job with a fresh set of eyes. "I want to speak from the heart. I believe the people of Caledonia and Haldimand County are in a fish hole right now. They've lost perspective. This is a land claims issue that goes well beyond Caledonia. This is ground zero. It gets all the media attention because of its proximity to major centres."
Periversoff called on citizens to question groups who have used the fracture for their own gain.
"With the trauma the community has remained fractured. And with that fracture we have had some groups come to light, perhaps well meaning, but some not. Some with good intentions and some without but the problem is these groups, a very small minority, are speaking on behalf of the larger segment of the community."
He said most people would like to see a return to the way it was here a few years ago when the community was a tight one.
"My goal is to at least help the community begin to heal. By helping each other we can refocus this land claims issue back to where it belongs because it goes beyond Caledonia," he said.
When asked about the formation of a militia he responded, "The term made me very nervous. I looked at the (United) States to see what happens to their militias. They're lightning rods for so many bad things I certainly hope that wouldn't be the case here at all."
He added, "I never met (Gary) McHale but found it unusual they would start out with a term like militia, then peacekeepers, then it's a publicity stunt. Aside from being a police officer, as a citizen I would be saying, 'what's up'?"

He then added, "At the end of the day the measure is, what good are they bringing to the community to help us become cohesive again; to help Haldimand County and Six Nations return to the community they had three or four years ago?"
Periversoff agreed there were questionable factions on both side of the land disputes. "The other side of the coin there are groups doing the same thing. They are seeing this vulcanization, this fracture as an opportunity for benefits and gains in their own interest."
He said he was still in the process of learning all the minutiae in the job but said he would look very closely at smoke shacks. "The whole issue is what are the intentions? Once the community becomes cohesive again, these groups cannot sustain themselves."
By focusing on reestablishing cohesiveness in the community, Periversoff feels the business of settling land claims can then be carried on by government officials in a position to do so.
"We need to settle the claims issue by those that are responsible so we can get the work done and restore peace, harmony and community spirit in Haldimand County," he said.
He explained that, while he will only be here for six months, he has the power and desire to make changes while he is here.
He sees himself as a civic leader and needs to step out and assume that role in a greater capacity.
He also said there would be more community interaction from officers in the form of increased foot patrols and visibility.
He responded to charges of two-tiered policing in the area by saying, "I can tell you as a middle-ranked OPP officer my policing is straight across the board. I don't believe that two-tier policing ever existed. I believe there are perceptions of it and I'm sure if you go to Six Nations they would say here is two-tier policing as well. We always tend to look inside instead of at the big picture."
He pointed to the statistics to back his claim. "There are 61 people with 178 charges against them. I don't see that as two-tier."
Periversoff re-emphasized that he believes small factions on either side are preventing the healing that most citizens want to see happen.
"The measure to me is what are you contributing to helping heal the community and what are you contributing to holding back the vibrant and cohesive community that Haldimand and Six Nations enjoyed?"
He then called on the media to help in the healing process. "My appeal to you (the media) today is to help me provide positive messaging to the community so you can be assisting in the healing process. Everybody looks to the media. You are leaders to the community as well. If you're not going to be positive, then you can't be part of the healing process. I don't think that takes away from the reasonable or balanced story. Be part of the solution, don't be part of the problem," he urged.
He extended that plea to others in the community. "Anybody who is willing to come to the table with a good mind and a good heart, looking to work hard for the community healing, will be my pleasure to work with," he said.
Periversoff previously filled in for McLean for a few months and Haldimand Police Services Board vice-chair Jack Esselment told the media in attendance they are very happy he is back.
"His values and beliefs are echoing the board's," he said. Esselment agreed that community involvement and police visibility are important ingredients in community policing.
"I'm a very involved community person with the fire department and the police services board and it breaks my heart to see the county struggling too. If we all pulled together in the same direction with a goal in mind, we could achieve that goal," he said.

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