How Police Auction Money Finds Its Way Back Into the Community

By Scott Arnold

When property or money ends up in police possession and can’t be returned or otherwise dealt with, there’s a process for what happens next, and in Peterborough, some of that money is finding its way back into the community.

A cheque presentation supporting the Canadian Police Memorial Ride to Remember, which honours police officers who have been killed in the line of duty. (photo via instagram @peterboroughpolice)

That was highlighted Tuesday, September 22nd, when the Peterborough Police Service Board presented two cheques through its Auction Fund.

The recipients are about as different as they could be.

One is Cuddles for Cancer, the Lakefield organization founded by Faith Dickinson in 2012 that has now made more than 11,000 blankets for cancer patients.

The other is the Canadian Police Memorial Ride to Remember, which Sgt. John Townsend of the Peterborough Police Service will be taking part in this week.

Townsend will ride more than 700 kilometres from the Ontario Police College in Aylmer to the National Police and Peace Officer Memorial in Ottawa. The ride honours police officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

Both were successful applicants to the Police Service Board’s Auction Fund.

A cheque presentation supporting Cuddles for Cancer, the Lakefield organization that has made more than 11,000 blankets for cancer patients. (photo via instagram @peterboroughpolice)

So, where does an Auction Fund come from in the first place?

Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act sets out what police services can do with certain property and money that comes into their possession. In the case of qualifying property, a chief of police can have it sold, with the police service board able to use the proceeds for a purpose it considers to be in the public interest, including a charitable donation.

There is also a separate provision for certain money that remains unclaimed for three months. In that case, a police service board can use the money for a purpose it considers to be in the public interest.

The Peterborough Police Service Board has an Auction Fund for these proceeds, providing a way for money generated through the process to ultimately support community purposes.

This week's recipients show two very different examples of where that support can go: helping provide comfort to people dealing with cancer and helping remember police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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