UBCM, in response to the final report by the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, has conveyed a report to the Province regarding policing modernization. The UBCM report, Preliminary Local Government Input into Public Safety Modernization, was developed based on the input and recommendations made by the Local Government Policing Modernization Roundtable (LGPMR).
The LGPMR, chaired by UBCM and the Province, was created to provide a mechanism for local government input throughout the Province’s Police Act and public safety review. Upon the release of the Special Committee’s final report, the LGPMR was tasked with analyzing the report and developing a local government response. Some of the notable UBCM/LGPMR recommendations include:
- Support for thorough provincial engagement with Indigenous peoples and nations, and local governments, in the drafting of new legislation that will have a broader focus than the current Police Act;
- A lack of support for a transition to a new B.C. provincial police force, due to the lack of evidence to support such a decision;
- Full support for the Province to create and fund a coordinated continuum of response to mental health, addictions and other complex social issues;
- Significant support for ensuring that all public safety services (including any additional tiers of policing) are coordinated, responsive to and informed by the community, and have appropriate community and local government oversight; and,
- Urging the development, in partnership with local governments, of a more fair and equitable shared funding model between all policing partners in B.C.
It is expected that the local government response/report will be considered by the Province as it develops short- and long-term policy direction. The next phase of the LGPMR’s work, which is expected to involve providing input into policy development, is expected to begin within the next several months.
Policing modernization, including the work of the LGPMR, will be a focal point of the upcoming UBCM study session, Investigating Public Safety Reform. The session takes place on Monday, September 12 (9:00 – 12:00), and will include representatives from the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, provincial government, RCMP and LGPMR.