{"id":854042,"date":"2025-06-07T19:12:51","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T00:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/07\/ontario-budget-confirms-helicopter-for-windsor-police-but-who-pays\/"},"modified":"2025-06-07T19:12:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T00:12:51","slug":"ontario-budget-confirms-helicopter-for-windsor-police-but-who-pays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/07\/ontario-budget-confirms-helicopter-for-windsor-police-but-who-pays\/","title":{"rendered":"Ontario budget confirms helicopter for Windsor police \u2014 but who pays?"},"content":{"rendered":"<article aria-labelledby=\"articleTitle\" data-wcm-id=\"6c02716a-9d20-4c15-868f-3aa4477ac768\">\n<header aria-label=\"Beginning of Article\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><span>Published May 20, 2025<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span>3 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure data-aqa=\"featured-image\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;h=423&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=oWUxcVVW-UNhBcqRNIAG3g, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;h=846&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=nHOZEGooRvK2pwrlsMJL_g 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;h=423&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=49_MI2HdGmBk1Yr-37N_Ow, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;h=846&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=dh3KGTOIqq3Vs6HbvEFw7Q 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;h=354&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=_lQJVWRXqTrrkSpffVz63A, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;h=708&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=97ZiyYfybhkja23R2EnS6Q 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;h=354&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=p0u-gpRRAYdjWOwffUpGLw, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;h=708&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=a6_0qRJU1UWj-D7BIpib2w 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=wAY3uiwgDBmjMDce3Clmsg, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;h=432&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=tSzkxZND5rg69GSpIKK61w 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;sig=MEUDgPb98olfEMmx5i5_YA\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;sig=MEUDgPb98olfEMmx5i5_YA,\n                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/helicopter_295684395.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;h=432&#038;sig=bFwFYFYT11ggwxo5rVE__Q 2x\" alt=\"heli\" height=\"750\" width=\"1000\"><\/picture><figcaption><span>An OPP EC135 helicopter is seen in this undated image from Ontario&#8217;s 2025 budget document. The budget commits to the purchase of an H135 helicopter for the Windsor Police Service.<\/span> <span>Photo by Image courtesy Government of Ontario<\/span> \/<span>Postmedia<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<p>The Windsor Police Service is getting a helicopter, though questions remain about how to pay for its operation.<\/p>\n<p>The Ford government\u2019s 2025 budget tabled last week confirmed the city force will receive its own chopper.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Police Chief Jason Bellaire said the addition will improve community safety for the entire region, but the lack of details over who covers future operating costs is \u201cvery concerning,\u201d according to the head of the local police board.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-aqa=\"identity-sign-in\" data-async id=\"article-block\">\n<header>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Windsor Star\" height=\"37\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/18.8.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-ws-new.svg\" width=\"280\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n<p>Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Get exclusive access to the Windsor Star ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.<\/li>\n<li>Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.<\/li>\n<li>Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p>Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Get exclusive access to the Windsor Star ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.<\/li>\n<li>Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.<\/li>\n<li>Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p>Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month.<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n<p>Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div data-auth-component id=\"auth-screen-form\" aria-live=\"assertive\">\n<h2>Sign In or Create an Account<\/h2>\n<p><span><\/span><span>or<\/span><span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>For search-and-rescue operations, and when looking for missing persons, Bellaire said, \u201cWe have drone technology. We have competent, trained search teams at Windsor police. We have the capacity and we have those skills.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But when \u201ctime is of the essence, especially during colder months where exposure to inclement weather can produce tragic circumstances,\u201d the helicopter will be an asset.<\/p>\n<p>The provincial budget document released this month said Ontario is investing $57 million for two new H-135 helicopters to support the Windsor Police Service and Niagara Regional Police Service \u201cwith increased patrols, security and enforcement at key entry points at the U.S. border.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bellaire said the province is indicating \u201cvery strongly\u201d that it will cover the vast majority of chopper-related expenses. As a result, he said, \u201cI think it would be a mistake to not embrace it and look to see how we can use this opportunity as best as we can for our region.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>However, Bellaire said the service still needs to \u201ciron out\u201d whether Windsor would have to cover any \u201clegacy\u201d costs in the future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s always a balance, cost versus community safety. It\u2019s a tough decision to make. We don\u2019t have this bottomless pot of financial capacity to do whatever we want.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But police board chair Jo-Anne Gignac, who represents Ward 6 on city council, called uncertainty around the helicopter\u2019s operating cost \u201cvery concerning\u201d and said the board needs more information.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe devil is always in the details,\u201d she told the Star.<\/p>\n<figure data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=EO7WrEQu-PLm7Jmly9DA_Q, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=2HxbtAPJWt5L4-tQ5pPdPQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=J3H9-yzZH5ikjnp-AkUvMA, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=ij5WNDb9TMaPPQliPNgDRQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\"  type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=VXsi4LGytzEpd45VAdalqQ, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=PE3BvpxX2_-h_akL7gB7BQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=2czNXTk3-G1F8-gTeBxIQQ, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=dLDzCI2xpuetgX98cSJ96Q 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"  type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=sGEyoKeZx_CNU1mEhEBk9Q, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=-w2D6qR8MBcCN5JDaGKUqQ 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;sig=Gga2U3_eOl9pw0TeBxxRng\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;sig=Gga2U3_eOl9pw0TeBxxRng,\n                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ts2024920jb017.ts_288835248.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;sig=zz4mhDko_i5BFaAFtYE6yg 2x\" alt=\"heli\" height=\"750\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\"><\/picture><figcaption><span> Durham Regional Police Police Chief Peter Moreira, left, is shown Sept. 20, 2024, with Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner at Oshawa Airport during the announcement of a new helicopter for the OPP.<\/span> <span>Photo by Jack Boland<\/span> \/<span>Postmedia News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2024, the province announced it would spend $134 million on five police helicopters in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa. That brought the total number of joint air support helicopters in Ontario to seven.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEnsuring police services have the resources to respond to major incidents and urgent situations is a priority for the government,\u201d the budget document said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEquipped with the latest technology, the helicopters will help protect Ontario\u2019s borders and keep highways and roadways safe from violent carjackings, auto theft, street racing and impaired driving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gignac questioned whether the helicopter should instead be given to the local OPP or RCMP if one of its primary uses will be addressing Canadian border security, which has been a concern of U.S. President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have to wonder, at times, what the mandate of municipal police forces are,\u201d Gignac said.<\/p>\n<p data-async>Bellaire said he believes the helicopter will also benefit the Canada Border Services Agency and the Ontario Provincial Police in <a data-evt-val=\"{\"control_fields\": {\"mparticle\": {\"keys\": {\"click_source_type\": \"click_source_type\", \"anchor_text\": \"anchor_text\", \"target_url\": \"target_url\", \"layout_section\": \"layout_section\"}, \"mp_event_type\": \"Navigation\", \"extra_keys\": [\"click_vertical_position_percentage\", \"click_vertical_position_pixels\"]}}, \"click_source_type\": \"in-page link\", \"anchor_text\": \"Essex County\", \"target_url\": \"https:\/\/windsorstar.com\/tag\/essex-county\/\", \"layout_section\": \"in-page-link\"}\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\" data-link-type=\"backlink\" href=\"https:\/\/windsorstar.com\/tag\/essex-county\/\">Essex County<\/a>. He added that its use shouldn\u2019t be restricted to border patrol.<\/p>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"moreTopicLabel12662463497096208776620375277568\" data-aqa=\"embed-more-topic\" data-carousel-component data-carousel-icon-button data-carousel-type=\"list\">\n<p>Read More<\/p>\n<ol data-carousel-slide-list tabindex=\"0\">\n<li data-evt-val=\"{\"control_fields\": {\"mparticle\": {\"keys\": {\"click_source_type\": \"click_source_type\", \"data_source\": \"data_source\", \"anchor_text\": \"anchor_text\", \"widget_title\": \"widget_title\", \"target_url\": \"target_url\", \"target_article_title\": \"target_article_title\", \"target_article_id\": \"target_article_id\", \"target_article_position\": \"target_article_position\", \"layout_section\": \"layout_section\"}, \"mp_event_type\": \"Navigation\", \"extra_keys\": [\"click_vertical_position_percentage\", \"click_vertical_position_pixels\"]}}, \"click_source_type\": \"widget-list\", \"data_source\": \"editorial\", \"anchor_text\": \"Helicopter for Windsor police? Doug Ford tells solicitor general: make it so\", \"widget_title\": \"read-more\", \"target_url\": \"https:\/\/windsorstar.com\/news\/local-news\/helicopter-for-windsor-police-doug-ford-tells-solicitor-general-make-it-so\", \"target_article_title\": \"Helicopter for Windsor police? Doug Ford tells solicitor general: make it so\", \"target_article_id\": \"532e9bd5-672c-4441-8496-954ae0817f90\", \"target_article_position\": \"0\", \"layout_section\": \"read-more\"}\" data-carousel-item data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\"><a href=\"https:\/\/windsorstar.com\/news\/local-news\/helicopter-for-windsor-police-doug-ford-tells-solicitor-general-make-it-so\"> <picture><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to members of the media as mayors from selected municipalities and government ministers look on the Queen's Park Legislature in Toronto on Thursday December 12, 2024.\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/CP173676887-1.jpg?h=96&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=4LIJrwWUnhSJHWHy9jFjmA\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/CP173676887-1.jpg?h=96&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=4LIJrwWUnhSJHWHy9jFjmA, https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/CP173676887-1.jpg?h=192&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=nrDglcVGjwaD2rMT6_1Q4g 2x,\n                                             https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/CP173676887-1.jpg?h=288&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=KIDb9tEsAC5TRvQFfyIa6w 3x\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"96\"><\/picture>\n<p><span>Helicopter for Windsor police? Doug Ford tells solicitor general: make it so<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <\/a><\/li>\n<li data-evt-val=\"{\"control_fields\": {\"mparticle\": {\"keys\": {\"click_source_type\": \"click_source_type\", \"data_source\": \"data_source\", \"anchor_text\": \"anchor_text\", \"widget_title\": \"widget_title\", \"target_url\": \"target_url\", \"target_article_title\": \"target_article_title\", \"target_article_id\": \"target_article_id\", \"target_article_position\": \"target_article_position\", \"layout_section\": \"layout_section\"}, \"mp_event_type\": \"Navigation\", \"extra_keys\": [\"click_vertical_position_percentage\", \"click_vertical_position_pixels\"]}}, \"click_source_type\": \"widget-list\", \"data_source\": \"editorial\", \"anchor_text\": \"Update: OPP dive team recover body of teen swimmer near Windsor&#038;#39s Sand Point Beach\", \"widget_title\": \"read-more\", \"target_url\": \"https:\/\/windsorstar.com\/news\/local-news\/search-underway-for-missing-swimmer-at-windsors-sand-point-beach\", \"target_article_title\": \"Update: OPP dive team recover body of teen swimmer near Windsor&#038;#39s Sand Point Beach\", \"target_article_id\": \"f4fe0f64-0d05-462b-94c6-ce194b4ec778\", \"target_article_position\": \"1\", \"layout_section\": \"read-more\"}\" data-carousel-item data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\"><a href=\"https:\/\/windsorstar.com\/news\/local-news\/search-underway-for-missing-swimmer-at-windsors-sand-point-beach\"> <picture><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Windsor Police Service units responded Sunday afternoon, May 18, 2025, to Sand Point Beach in east Windsor after a report of a possible drowning. A 15-year-old swimmer was reported missing. Search efforts continued into the night and resumed Monday morning.\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_7347-1-_295665443.jpg?h=96&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=QAIngE_LNYJOysjduMk7Jg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_7347-1-_295665443.jpg?h=96&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=QAIngE_LNYJOysjduMk7Jg, https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_7347-1-_295665443.jpg?h=192&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=GrLU3rUZAmrp63gTDkLseA 2x,\n                                             https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/windsorstar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_7347-1-_295665443.jpg?h=288&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=80&#038;sig=yOTvz32fXWvGUvqgaCDqrQ 3x\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"96\"><\/picture>\n<p><span>Update: OPP dive team recover body of teen swimmer near Windsor&#8217;s Sand Point Beach<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<p>The budget document also says the province is establishing a dedicated Major Auto Theft Prosecution Response Team to focus on crime hotspots, including Windsor. That team will give police services legal advice and prosecutorial support, and \u201chelp dismantle organized crime networks, holding offenders accountable and cracking down on carjackings and home invasions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bellaire said auto theft is a national problem. While Windsor is not \u201cstruggling with that particular challenge\u201d as much as the Toronto area is, \u201cwe\u2019ve had our moments.\u201d As a result, Windsor police do participate in provincial auto theft initiatives.<\/p>\n<p data-async><a data-evt-val=\"{\"control_fields\": {\"mparticle\": {\"keys\": {\"click_source_type\": \"click_source_type\", \"anchor_text\": \"anchor_text\", \"layout_section\": \"layout_section\"}, \"mp_event_type\": \"Navigation\", \"extra_keys\": [\"click_vertical_position_percentage\", \"click_vertical_position_pixels\"]}}, \"click_source_type\": \"in-page link\", \"anchor_text\": \"<span \n                data-original-string='50CFIwASmWY9MW2GI3Ea8w==7f4OGWDs6Vz4ReXMgiPACXOCrYtLzXEnE643yILCSIS22k='\n                class='apbct-email-encoder'\n                title='This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.'>tc<span class=\"apbct-blur\">*******<\/span>@<span class=\"apbct-blur\">*******<\/span>ia.com<\/span>&#8220;, &#8220;layout_section&#8221;: &#8220;in-page-link&#8221;}&#8221; data-evt=&#8221;click&#8221; data-evt-typ=&#8221;click&#8221; href=&#8221;http:\/\/windsorstar.com\/<span \n                data-original-string='ghtQCrW5IBlk8+6cr5vkaQ==7f4wfCOVOb+uLg5exofYur8s1M0uvcgIRu+q6XpcyHgpLY='\n                class='apbct-email-encoder'\n                title='This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.'>tc<span class=\"apbct-blur\">*******<\/span>@<span class=\"apbct-blur\">*******<\/span>ia.com<\/span>&#8220;><span \n                data-original-string='G4zCMffIc0088ic3N8nqLg==7f4xxXksvYSQfHPuSKMNdtpC2mMjJ7fnfQkFyXKP5qsvvo='\n                class='apbct-email-encoder'\n                title='This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.'>tc<span class=\"apbct-blur\">*******<\/span>@<span class=\"apbct-blur\">*******<\/span>ia.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p> Taylor Campbell<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/windsorstar.com\/news\/local-news\/ontario-budget-confirms-helicopter-for-windsor-police-but-who-pays\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Published May 20, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read An OPP EC135 helicopter is seen in this undated image from Ontario&#8217;s 2025 budget document. The budget commits to the purchase of an H135 helicopter for the Windsor Police Service. Photo by Image courtesy Government of Ontario \/Postmedia The Windsor Police Service is getting a helicopter, though<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":854043,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23273,24575],"tags":[6328,9795],"class_list":{"0":"post-854042","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-budget","8":"category-ontario","9":"tag-budget","10":"tag-ontario"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/854042","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=854042"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/854042\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/854043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=854042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=854042"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=854042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}