A long-awaited name change to the local OPP detachment and the establishment of a new auxiliary unit made for a proud day in Napanee.

The Napanee OPP detachment officially changed its name to L&A County OPP to represent all of the Lennox and Addington area in a media event Thursday afternoon.

For three decades now, the Napanee OPP detachment policed the Greater Napanee area, but also was wholly responsible for six other communities in Lennox and Addington Counties, such as Loyalist, Stone Mills and Addington Highlands Townships, along with Tyendinaga Township and Deseronto and stretches of the 401, patrolling a total area of 302,200 square hectares.

Detachment Commander Insp. Scott Semple said the name change was a long time coming and was partly made to assimilate with other OPP detachments in the East Region that are labled with County names.

He told InQuinte that the change was also made to reflect more of what they do and who they serve.

“If you asked people in the past, many would say ‘they police the town of Napanee,’ which isn’t the case. It’s a small percentage of what we do,” Semple said.

This change will also help influence and educate the public on what is happening in certain communities, according to Semple.

"Every time the OPP puts a press release out about something happening, a crime being committed, an arrest being made (or) a search warrant being executed, it always said Napanee. The town of Napanee felt that made it look like Napanee has a lot of crime, which in fact isn’t the case,” he continued.

From now on, Semple said all press releases that will be released to the media will be titled with L&A County OPP.

Out of the three detachment branches that make up L&A County OPP, the Napanee detachment will be the central “host” location, the detachment in the Loyalist/Odessa area will be L&A County East and the Kaladar location will be rebranded as L&A County North.

Semple informed that everything will remain "status quo" regarding boundaries, outside of the name change.

The total number of staff resources at the L&A County OPP detachment is 95, including 74 constables, 10 sergeants and support staff members and an inspector.

Along with the name change, a new volunteer auxiliary unit program was announced for the rebranded detachment, which Semple said will enhance the community presence of the new L&A County OPP.

Auxiliary Staff Sgt. Joshua Belanger, who came over from the Frontenac Township Auxiliary Unit to help with launch, explained what exactly the members of this program will be doing.

“They will assist with community events and displays, as well as conduct safety initiatives. In conjunction with that, they also will do patrols with regular members, ATV, snowmobile and vessel enforcement.”

Semple, who had worked with the Frontenac Township Auxiliary Unit in the past and had a hand in establishing the Quinte Auxiliary Unit, noted that another benefit to the detachment's name change is the attraction of more members from places outside of Napanee that haven't considered helping out before.

"If they're looking at volunteering and they've wanted to be an auxiliary member, there's a chance that in the past they've looked at Napanee and (said) 'am I going to be patrolling in the town of Napanee when I live in Amherstview or Addington Highlands or Tyendinaga Township?'"

"This way, it shows that it's a broader area, so we're hoping to attract people to volunteer from the whole detachment area, which is all of L&A County and part of Hastings County."

L&A County OPP is currently recruiting for new volunteers and Semple said they're hoping for a team of eight members by June.

Five out of the six municipal leaders in Lennox & Addington County attended the event, with only Deseronto Mayor Dan Johnston absent.