Whereas municipal RCMP detachments are experiencing ongoing temporary and permanent vacancies across British Columbia, at the same time as they are being asked to respond to calls for service outside their core expertise e.g. mental health, addictions and complex social issues; And whereas the provincial government has secured resources for the BC Highway Patrol to provide traffic law enforcement and public education across British Columbia: Therefore be it resolved that the Province allow for BC Highway Patrol resources to be redirected to support municipal RCMP detachments that are experiencing temporary staffing shortages.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Under the Police Act, municipalities over 5,000 population must provide policing and law enforcement services within their municipal boundaries and bear the expenses necessary for the provision of policing services. The Ministry has heard RCMP vacancy concerns from local governments and is aware of the pressures facing front-line policing resources. As a federal organization, staffing responsibilities, including but not limited to recruitment and allocation, are within the internal management and control of the RCMP. With respect to provincial resources, the Province does not support the redirection of Provincial Police Service resources, including BC Highway Patrol BCHP, to address temporary staffing shortages at municipal RCMP detachments. In the example of BCHP, the mandate for BCHP, provided in BC RCMP Provincial policy, is to decrease the number of serious injury and fatal collisions on provincial highways in BC through proactive enforcement, education, the building of partnerships and the interception of illegal contraband. BCHP proactively address root causes of driving behaviours that lead to traffic calls-for-service and serious and fatal collisions on certain provincial highways. It is imperative for public safety that there are no barriers preventing or inhibiting the services provided by BCHP. In support of the Provincial Governments Safer Communities Action Plan, announced November 20, 2022, the Province has approved an unprecedented, multi-year investment of approximately 230 million to the RCMP, as the Provincial Police Service. This funding will address existing gaps in staffing, and resource pressures in specialized functions, such as Major Crime and BCHP, as well as at front-line rural and remote provincial detachment units. Ministry staff are actively engaged with the RCMP E Division on this work. Only RCMP Provincial Units are eligible for support under the 230 million Provincial Investment. While RCMP Municipal Units are not eligible for support under this investment, it is anticipated that the positive impacts of the Provincial investment will benefit public safety for all of BC.