WORLD PREMIERE By Trina Davies

silence
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January 16

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thursday, january 4, 2018 SECTION B

REFUSE REFUSAL ROILS RECYCLERS

Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press

Andrew Robertson, a team leader at Miller Waste Systems, stands among baled recyclables at the company’s London plant. There’s uncertainty where this stuff will go in the future because China,
the largest importer of North America’s recyclables, has clamped down on what it takes, warning it won’t be the world’s garbage dump any longer. For details, see Page A3.

3 years and $400K later, Utilities scramble to collect

cold cash amid deep freeze
fraudster cop quits Jennifer Bieman
The London Free Press

Unpaid bills mounting.

TREVOR TERFLOTH
Postmedia News
and DALE CARRUTHERS
The London Free Press
CHATHAM — A senior
Chatham-Kent police officer has
quit the force after costing taxpay-
ers nearly $400,000 for the more
than three years he was suspended
with pay from the job.
The departure of Sgt. Robert
Mugridge, announced Wednesday,
comes days before the 29-year vet-
eran of the force is to be sentenced
in court for fraud. His case is cer-
tain to renew calls for Ontario
to end its distinction as the only
province where officers facing
utor, has been busy fielding a flurry
of calls from customers struggling
to pay up, too.
In sharp contrast to a year ago,
serious charges cannot be sus- “This is something that, in A new law preventing delin- when the region emerged from the
pended without pay. fact, police associations have quent customers from being cut warmest December on record in
It also comes ahead of a discipli- used to help their members for off until the ground thaws. Ontario, the brutal reality of sub-
nary hearing at which Mugridge many, many years,” Sewell said A weeks-long deep freeze that’s zero cold is hitting the pocketbook
faced almost Wednesday. plunged Southwestern Ontario earlier for many who can’t afford
certain termi- Under legislation proposed by into dangerously cold lows. the deep freeze.
nation from Ontario’s Liberal government, A perfect storm is bearing down And cold temperatures
the Chatham- police chiefs would be able to on regional power and heating are expected to last into the
Kent force. withhold wages from officers sus- utilities, scrambling to collect weekend.
“It happens pended for serious allegations, a overdue accounts from winter- “It puts a lot of stress on us,”
all the time, all power their counterparts in other battered ratepayers as the region Nancy Hutton, a spokesper-
the time,” said provinces have long wielded. braces for more snow and numb- son for  London Hydro, said
John Sewell, a Pressure to change the law came ing cold. Wednesday.
Mugridge
former Toronto after a number of high-profile The number of London Hydro “Bad debts affect all customers
mayor and out- cases, including that of a Waterloo accounts in arrears has skyrock- eventually, and we have to make
spoken policing critic, of officers Regional police constable who eted to nearly 4,400 from about sure those arrears are eventually
facing serious allegations being sent an email thanking his force 2,000 as of Nov. 20. collected so that we can keep rates
kept on the payroll for years, only “for a dream come true.” Chatham-based Union Gas, the down for all Londoners.”
to quit before they’re disciplined. See fraud | A5 region’s major natural gas distrib- See utilities | A5

INSIDE we asked you... lfpress.com

Ex-Knight Victor Mete President Donald Trump Stratford’s favour- Have you ever driven a yes 57%
snowmobile?
thought to be among launches blistering attack ite son Justin no 43%
Total votes cast: 2,052
world juniors being on Steve Bannon during Bieber will share
scouted for a spot on spectacular falling out memorabilia in Today’s question:
Do you think London should $ 1.43
Canada’s Olympic team. over new book. hometown exhibit. ban plastic bags? (plus gst)

sports nP today Yes / No

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