Whereas RCMP E Division uses, in some areas, an integrated detachment model two or more municipal or provincial RCMP units housed in one building to provide policing to combined municipal and provincial areas; And whereas municipalities authorize and fund increases to the number of municipal officers at the integrated detachments, but the number of provincially funded officers does not automatically change, possibly resulting in a potential imbalance and financial subsidy to provincial or rural areas by the municipalities: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General to initiate a review of the number of provincial officers serving at an integrated detachment when the municipal component of the detachment is increased to ensure that the municipal and provincial areas are being funded fairly.
Ministry of Public Safety Solicitor General Integration of police services across and within regions is a cornerstone of the vision of policing for BC. For integrated detachments, there are many benefits and efficiencies to be gained, such as: sharing administrative services; improved coverage during officer absence leave, training, or illness; greater access to back-up; and the mutual benefit of using unallocated time from one area to respond to calls in another area. Service levels and police resources for each portion of an integrated provincialmunicipal detachment, must balance workload demands and policing priorities as determined by the respective jurisdictions, yet operate as a single police force. Resource levels, however, must additionally be commensurate to the workload draw of the jurisdiction they are assigned to, and accountable to that jurisdiction. Ministry staff actively liaise with the RCMP to ensure adequate and effective service levels in the provincial areas, this includes resource analysis reviews for integrated detachments. With respect to increasing resources for provincially policed areas, the RCMP maintains a process whereby the local detachment may report internal pressures to RCMP Headquarters to identify and address resourcing needs. Local requests for increases are prioritized and considered in the context of the larger needs of the Provincial Police Service. Any business cases forwarded through these processes are carefully considered.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police BC RCMP Operations Strategy Branch continues to work closely with the Province and will promptly action requests that may result from the response of the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General to UBCM Resolution B6. I have also requested Assistant Commissioner Eric Stubbs, BC RCMP Criminal Operations Officer - Core Policing, to monitor and track this item to ensure it is properly addressed.