Ontario Peace Officer Question

[chris_log]

To satisfy my idle curiosity, I noticed two different law enforcement vehicles in my area, did a google search etc and couldn't really find anything (besides ID'ing what organisation they belonged to) on what these types of peace officers do etc (again, just idle curiosity). If anyone here can give me some info of what they do, who they are etc it would be helpful.

Vehicle 1 - a white pickup truck (I think it was a Dodge Ram) with a blue stripe across the side and an LED lightbar on top. I looked closely at it and it said 'Ontario Ministry of Finance Enforcement'. I've never heard of these guys. It was parked at a mall in Guelph.

Vehicle 2 - a white car (might have been a Crown Vic, not too sure, it was dark) with what appeared to be a blue stripe across it with a yellow stripe below it, and a logo on the door. It was parked in a parking lot off the 401. It had an older style lightbar on top. I didn't clearly see the logo on it, but according to some internet searches I did it was an Ontario Ministry of the Environment Enforcement Officer (whatever that is) vehicle. I saw the same style vehicles about 2 years ago (3-4 of them) flying into a local business' property.

So can anyone definitively ID these types of peace officers and what they do?

 

[kkwd]

Is this what you saw?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21659327@N04/2800159593/

 

[Bass ackwards]

I can't speak as to the OMFE (though I'm sure that if you owe the province money, you'll get a much closer look at their truck).

The MOE looks after things like hazardous waste spills: basically anything that can potentially screw up the great outdoors.
You'll see them at truck accidents where any quantity of diesel fuel has been spilled, train derailments where some potentially nasty cargo is being leaked...that sort of thing.

They'll also come and visit various industries (mills and factories and the like) to ensure they're not contributing to our population of three-eyed carp and two-headed deer.  

 

[chris_log]

Is this what you saw?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21659327@N04/2800159593/

That's vehicle number 1 (different model truck, same markings).

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . .  but according to some internet searches I did it was an Ontario Ministry of the Environment Enforcement Officer (whatever that is) vehicle. I saw the same style vehicles about 2 years ago (3-4 of them) flying into a local business' property.

So can anyone definitively ID these types of peace officers and what they do?

Ontario Ministry of Environment Operations Division

Investigations and Enforcement Branch

The Investigations and Enforcement Branch is responsible for all aspects of environmental enforcement within the ministry. This includes enforcement of the Environmental Protection Act, Ontario Water Resources Act, Environmental Assessment Act, and Pesticides Act. The branch complements the abatement activities of the Regional Operations through effective investigation and enforcement activity.

http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2004/09/21/c2149.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html

Operation Corridor is an annual 24-hour traffic blitz that begins on September 21. It is designed by the OPP to reduce the number of early fall traffic collisions. Motorists who tailgate, make unsafe lane changes or speed will be targeted by the OPP, while Ministry of Transportation (MTO) enforcement officers will conduct random truck inspections. Ministry of the Environment enforcement officers will inspect vehicles transporting hazardous and solid non-hazardous waste, as well as grossly polluting vehicles. Trucks will be examined for safety and environmental violations at inspection stations along Highway 401, from Windsor to Lancaster, and the Trans-Canada Highway, from the Quebec to Manitoba borders. Enforcement officers will be checking vehicle's mechanical condition, load security, compliance with dangerous good legislation and Ontario's environmental laws, and drivers' qualifications, trip logs and hours of work.
    During Operation Corridor 2003, Ministry of Transportation enforcement officers inspected 617 commercial vehicles and took 168 vehicles out-of-service for safety and mechanical defects. Ministry of the Environment enforcement officers inspected more than 200 vehicles and laid 15 charges and issued nine Provincial Officer Orders. "Ontario will continue to improve our truck safety record to make our roads safer," said Takhar.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I'm guessing anyone working for "'Ontario Ministry of Finance Enforcement" might be helping get a grip on this situation (via Canadian Press).....

"Ontario fails to collect up to $500 million in tobacco taxes annually - the same amount as the province's projected deficit this year - and misses out on millions more in gasoline and diesel fuel taxes, Auditor General Jim McCarter said Monday in his annual report.  McCarter said he was particularly concerned by the potential size of the tobacco tax gap, which he first pointed out in his 2001 audit, and he complained the Revenue Ministry is still not doing appropriate auditing on either tobacco or the diesel and gas taxes.  "Quite frankly, this whole area of tax enforcement, especially in the tobacco area, they have definitely got to strengthen up enforcement procedures," he said...."

Also, this from a law enforcement forum:

....Ontario Ministry of Finance Enforcement Officers, they do t-stops on commerical vehicles to enforce the fuel and gas tax laws....

 

[chris_log]

Thanks for the replys.

 

[dannybou]

Ontario Ministry of Finance Enforcement

These could be the units enforcing the fuel tax in commercial transport trucks, i.e.: making sure they have the correct colour of diesel in their tanks.

 

[IrishCanuck]

A large part of the MoF role could be summed up as "Fuel and Tobacco Tax Inspector".

 

[The_Falcon]

A large part of the MoF role could be summed up as "Fuel and Tobacco Tax Inspector".

Precisely they are either fuel inspectors (checking diesel fuel), or tobacco tax inspectors (making sure convience stores a selling legal cigarettes with taxes paid).