As leaders of the "Freedom Convoy" testify this week before a federal panel, more is being learned about the Windsor police's response to a similar blockade at the Ambassador Bridge.
A debrief on the Ambassador Bridge blockade, and the police response was entered into evidence this week as the federal inquiry into the invocation of the Emergencies Act continues. A redacted copy is available for public viewing.
The purpose was to outline how law enforcement reacted to the situation at the bridge and generate recommendations for how similar events should be handled.
The report is the most detailed assessment yet of the police response to the blockade, which slowed Ambassador Bridge traffic to a near-standstill for a week this past February. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency on February 11. Following a deadline, Windsor police were joined by other law-enforcement agencies in removing protestors from Huron Church Road and the Windsor approach to the bridge. The process took the entire weekend, and there were a handful of arrests. The Ambassador Bridge was reopened to traffic shortly after midnight on February 14.
The debrief outlined the critical early hours of the blockade, on February 7, when the first protestors arrived on the scene. When the first officers called to the location realized they were outnumbered, reinforcements were brought in. The report discussed the challenges that arose with the bringing in of equipment.
Observations of what went right and what was open for improvement were also discussed for logistics, the functionality of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), and the actual arrest plan on the weekend of February 12 and 13.
The Emergencies Act was invoked on February 14 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which gave police in the Ottawa area additional powers to forcibly remove protestors who had paralyzed the area around Parliament Hill. Truckers had moved their vehicles into the city and had pledged not to leave until COVID-19-related mandates and restrictions were dumped. It was the first time the Act was enacted in its current incarnation.
The report also uncovered a lack of financial oversight during the blockade and police response. There were issues with officers unfamiliar with procurement procedures and an apparent absence of accounting for expenses. The City of Windsor estimated total policing costs at over $5.1-million.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is due to testify before the panel next week, along with Windsor police Deputy Chief Jason Crowley. Premier Ford, meanwhile, has refused to appear.
The complete, redacted report can be found on the official Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC) website.
