WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia has indicated a desire to alter the way provincial policing is funded in British Columbia; AND WHEREAS ensuring equity, value for taxes and efficiency in any policing model is essential to the interests of the Province and taxpayers, both rural and urban: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a service delivery model be developed that ensures that all residents, urban and rural, have reasonable and responsible access to police service with local community input.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Under the proposed new police financing model, all municipalities and unincorporated areas in the Province will contribute to their local policing costs. This will contribute to enhanced fairness for British Columbia taxpayers and help to ensure the long-term sustainability of policing across the Province. The model will allow the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to invest in enhancements to the Provinces overall policing infrastructure through initiatives such as PRIME, and specialized police units like the integrated homicide investigation team. These investments will be to the benefit of all communities and police across British Columbia. The RCMP is committed to consulting directly with representatives from all rural and urban communities to establish local policing priorities and to develop appropriate police responses to local issues. They already have protocols set up with municipal councils in municipalities over 5,000 population who contract with them for police services. In addition, both the RCMP and the Director of Police Services, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, participate in the UBCM-sponsored RCMPUBCM Small Communities and Rural Areas Committee, which meets throughout the year to discuss how to improve communication and accountability between the police and small communities.