Weeks after The Sarnia Journal filed a formal complaint with the provincial Inspectorate of Policing regarding the Sarnia Police Services Board’s (SPSB) push for a new headquarters, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) has delayed a freedom of information (FOI) request seeking details on its promotional and training spending.
The Sarnia Police Service (SPS) has invoked an extension on a freedom of information (FOI) request filed by The Sarnia Journal, pushing the release of records concerning promotional and training spending into 2026.
In a letter dated November 4, 2025, the SPS cited a "need to consult with other departments within the Sarnia Police Service" to justify a 90-day extension on the standard 30-day response time, moving the new deadline into early 2026.
This extension comes weeks after The Sarnia Journal filed a formal complaint with the Inspectorate of Policing (IOP) against the Sarnia Police Services Board (SPSB). That complaint, which the IOP confirmed is "Processing", alleges the Board is failing its legislative duty to provide "adequate and effective policing" by prioritizing a new, multi-million-dollar headquarters over the community's documented safety needs.
The FOI request, filed on October 9, 2025, seeks records quantifying the police service's spending on public relations and internal budget management.
The specific records requested include:
Promotional Video Costs: All costs, invoices, and RFP documents related to the "Sarnia Police Service Facility Video" and "Sarnia Police Service Video 2025," which were used at public town halls to support the case for a new headquarters.
Training Budget Overruns: A breakdown of the 2024 training budget, which public records show was "$161,000 over budget".
Media Policies: Internal policies governing "media releases, social media moderating and posting and media relationships".
Website Costs: All costs, contracts, and RFP processes for the development and maintenance of the Sarnia Police website.
The complaint filed with the Inspectorate is set against the backdrop of Sarnia's Violent Crime Severity Index, which has increased by 24.24%.
It alleges the SPSB has ignored a $4.43 million repair option for the current building, as detailed in the Board's own Dillon Consulting report. Instead, the Board and Chief Derek Davis have publicly advocated for a new headquarters with costs estimated near $91 million. At a public meeting on September 9, 2025, Chief Davis dismissed the $4.43 million repair option as irrelevant to policing needs.
The complaint asks the Inspector General to investigate the SPSB's compliance with the Community Safety and Policing Act and to "halt all expenditures on the new HQ project" pending a transparent review of all alternatives.
