Sarnia Police chief spends $10,000 on “awareness” videos to sell controversial $91 million facility

Sarnia’s police chief is utilizing un-tendered video contracts to market a new $91 million headquarters, a project currently at the center of a deepening legal battle between the police board and the Mayor.

Sarnia Police Chief Derek Davis is using taxpayer funds to produce marketing videos aimed at convincing the public to support a new $91 million police headquarters. Freedom of Information records obtained by The Sarnia Journal show the service has spent $10,485 on two separate video productions and established a dedicated "Police Facility Project" landing page to manage public perception of the project.

The spending includes a $5,085 invoice from Petrolia-based Frameworks Media Inc. for a "New Building Public Awareness Campaign Video." A second invoice from the same company, totaling $6,102, was paid for a "Recruitment/Marketing" video package. Internal police documents note that neither contract was subject to a Request for Proposal (RFP) because the costs fell under the Chief’s individual approval limit.

This "awareness campaign" comes as the project faces significant political and legal hurdles. In November 2025, Mayor Mike Bradley utilized "Strong Mayor" powers to axe $5.7 million in initial facility financing from the draft 2026 budget, citing the need for fiscal restraint. Following a failed council override in January, the Sarnia Police Service Board escalated the standoff on February 9, 2026, by issuing a formal legal demand through Hudson Sinclair LLP.

The board argues that provincial law prohibits mayors from vetoing police budget estimates, framing the new facility as a mandatory legal requirement for "adequate and effective policing."

The service's own website, developed by JAK Media at a cost of $25,000, that was also "well under the board policy for chief approval limit" features a "Police Facility Project" section, which includes one of these videos and a list of frequently asked questions designed to rebut public criticism. Despite the board's public insistence on the new build's necessity, their own engineering reports previously indicated that the current Christina Street headquarters remains structurally sound and could remain operational with approximately $4.43 million in essential repairs.

JAK Media developed the Halton Regional Police Service website, Chief Davis’s former service, and publicly lists only Halton and Sarnia Police Service as police clients.

The emphasis on a "public awareness" strategy suggests the Chief’s office is prioritizing a new facility over documented, lower-cost renovation options. The decision to bypass the RFP process for promotional materials, alongside a formal legal shift against the City, indicates a coordinated effort to secure the $91 million project despite the existence of multi-million dollar cost-saving alternatives and the Mayor’s ongoing arguments regarding community affordability.