Huntsville and Bracebridge OPP collecting cell phones for victim services

A message from OPP Central Region

The Bracebridge and Huntsville Detachments of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are committed to upholding their commitment to victims of crime. Upon the onset of COVID, Central Region Victim Service agencies expressed a need for used cell phones for their Victim Safety Planning Programs.

Victim Services accepts new and used donated cell phones to support victims and vulnerable persons within their communities. The 911 cell phone program is designed to support a victims’ safety plan and to lessen re-victimization, by providing an additional device to contact police in an emergency. Home sometimes isn’t the safest place, and this can be the case for adults and children who suffer from intimate partner abuse, sexual violence and elder abuse, among others. If a landline or cell phone is damaged by the abuser, a 911 cell phone may be a victims’ only way to seek help. Any phone, connected or not connected to a service provider and cell phone plan, can be used to dial 911.

The Bracebridge and Huntsville OPP Detachments will be collecting cell phones, which will directly benefit our Muskoka Victim Services. For more information, visit the Muskoka Victim Services website at muskokavs.ca.

Starting Monday, November, 23, 2020, to donate your cellphone(s), please bring your gently used cellphones to either detachment between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. To donate a phone to the Victim Service Phone Safety Program through the detachment drop off box, please complete the following steps:

Remove your SIM card;
Bring cellphone AND charger (if possible);
Use disinfectant wipes (provided at detachment); all phones and chargers must be wiped down at the detachment prior to going into the box;
Place in clear Ziploc bag for your phone and charger (provided at detachment); and
Provide the name of the cellphone carrier OR identify if the phone is unlocked (note attached to phone is fine.

“This is a great opportunity for members of the community to help out vulnerable victims within their communities by donating their old cell phones. You may be helping a neighbour without even knowing because unfortunately we aren’t aware of what occurs behind closed doors. Even though a cell phone is no longer connected to a plan, as long as it has a charged battery it can still dial 911,” said Detective Sergeant Tanya Tremble, Abuse Issues and Mental Health Coordinator, Central Region, OPP