Whereas the RCMP are overworked and understaffed when it comes to rural and remote communities; And whereas, many rural BC residents are frustrated with the level of services that the RCMP is currently able to offer: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government provide regular, ongoing and sustainable funding to support the development and growth of rural safety and crime reductionprevention groups.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The provincial government has made significant investments in the British Columbia RCMP Provincial Services, and specifically in the Cariboo Chilcotin Crime Reduction Unit CC-CRU, also known as the Special Project Team SPT. This six-member team has been financially supported, on an annual basis, by the provincial government since 201718 and provides both municipal and rural policing services in the region. As part of Budget 2021, government provided permanent funding of 1M for the continuation of the CC-CRU. The three areas of response for this team are: Organized Crime and Gang-Involved Offenders, Chronic Offender Management and, Illicit Drug Trafficking and the Opioid Epidemic. These resources are primarily focused on multijurisdictional prolific offenders, particularly those with connections to gang activity and organized crime. In addition, to address resource pressures across all areas of provincial policing responsibility in the province, government continues to work closely with the RCMP to identify high risk priority communities to secure funding for resource requirements. Lastly, it is important to consider in the delivery of policing services, the RCMP must respect the distinction of municipal and provincial policing responsibilities as defined by the Police Act. Encroachment on municipal or provincial responsibilities, whether front-line General Duty, specialized functions, or resourcing dedicated to crime prevention initiatives, will directly impact the respective partners resources and budgets. It is imperative that provincial resource levels are commensurate to the workload generated by provincial areas.