Long delays in receiving criminal background checks from the Ontario Provincial Police and complaints regarding online applications have spurred officials to increase staffing levels at Essex County detachments to provide face-to-face assistance.

Criminal record checks were previously done in-house by detachment administrative staff, according to Essex County Superintendent Mark Loucas, who added “the organization recognized that it was an encumbrance to their duties.

“It was adding significant delays to their daily duties,” Loucas said. “So having said that, we looked at ways to find an efficiency.”

The OPP leadership brought in a third party to handle the bulk of the requests, filed through an online system.

But the new system caused months-long delays for folks looking to volunteer

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