Woodstock Police throw support behind gun registry

WOODSTOCK – The Woodstock Police Service has come out solidly in favour of retaining the country's long gun registry.

Police service boards across Canada are marking Wednesday as the National Day in Support of the Long Gun Registry

"Our Board has the responsibility for the safety of both our officers and the

community. Anything that can increase that safety is worthy of supporting," said Woodstock Mayor Michael Harding, chair of the Woodstock police services board.

In a pair of press releases Tuesday evening, chief Rod Freeman said he, his senior officers and members of the police services board are united in their support for the registry.

The registry has been criticized for costing more than $1 billion to establish. Freeman said the system now costs $4.1 million

A vote on a conservative private member's bill to scrap the registry is expected later this month in the House of Commons.

"I genuinely believe the Long Gun Registry provides a police officer with critically important information when responding to emergency situations where a serious threat to community safety exists," Freeman said in a release.

"Front-line officers need to have the opportunity to gather all relevant information available that may potentially impact on officer and community safety