Intense Public Confrontation Raises Alarm Over Secret Police & PLT Conduct

(WINGHAM, ON) — Serious questions are being raised about the role of Provincial Liaison Team (PLT) officers Paul Richardson (Badge 12861) and Robert Hann (Badge 13409) after a tense and widely witnessed confrontation at a recent North Huron council meeting—an incident residents say crossed the line from “keeping order” into stifling democratic participation.

According to multiple members of the public and press present, the two men—dressed in plain clothes and identifying themselves as OPP—positioned themselves inside the council chambers before the meeting began, a time when residents traditionally question council members because no public questions are permitted once the meeting is called to order.

When a resident calmly questioned council about unresolved public safety issues—including unmaintained sidewalks and a visibly tattered cenotaph flag—the interaction drew the immediate attention of Richardson and Hann. Witnesses say the officers moved in close, interrupted the exchange, and attempted to shut down questioning despite the meeting not yet being in session.

What escalated the situation further, residents say, was the officers’ refusal to provide basic identification.

Multiple requests for business cards or police ID were declined. No explanation was provided. No supervisor was summoned. For many in the room, the refusal set off alarm bells.

“If you’re acting under the authority of the state, you don’t get to hide who you are,” said one attendee. “That’s not public safety—that’s intimidation.”

Rather than calming the situation, the officers’ conduct appeared to galvanize the room. Members of the public and press stood together, questioned the officers directly, and demanded accountability. With cameras rolling, the two men were escorted out of the building by the public—not forcibly, but firmly—after failing to justify their presence or actions.

The confrontation raises broader concerns about the mandate and behavior of PLT units, which are intended to act as liaisons, not enforcers, at civic gatherings. Critics argue that PLT officers are increasingly being deployed to chill speech, discourage scrutiny of elected officials, and create a climate where ordinary residents feel watched rather than heard.

“This isn’t a protest zone. This is a council chamber,” said another witness. “The square mile belongs to the people, not to plainclothes officers leaning over citizens to make them uncomfortable.”

No charges were laid. No disturbances were reported—other than the actions of the officers themselves.

To date, neither Richardson nor Hann have publicly explained why they refused to identify themselves, why they intervened in lawful pre-meeting questioning, or who authorized their presence. The OPP has also not clarified whether this conduct aligns with PLT policy.

For many residents, the issue is no longer about one meeting—it’s about a pattern.

When police units attend municipal meetings not to protect safety but to manage dissent, democracy itself is put on notice.

Calls are now growing for PLT officers to stand down, for clear limits on police involvement in municipal governance, and for elected officials to reaffirm that questioning authority is not a threat—it is the foundation of public life.

As one resident put it bluntly:

“If the state doesn’t like being questioned, it’s not the people who have crossed the line.”

The next council meeting is expected to draw increased public attendance, with residents urging others to arrive early, bring cameras, and insist—peacefully—on transparency.

The message from the square mile is clear: back off, or be held to account.

Over 150,000 Monthly Readers! 1 Million+ Across the entire FreePress Network.