RCMP presents budget, no new officers included

Dec 10, 2019 | 5:35 AM

The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP presented their budget requests to Vernon city council Monday with no new officers included —- a sharp contrast to 2017 when six new officers were requested to combat staffing shortages.

The nearly $9.6 million municipal policing budget includes funding for 56 full time officers which is the same amount as last year.

Supt. Shawna Baher said she hopes to keep the positions fully staffed to accomodate the needs of the city.

“I thought it was pertinent to get to 56, take a time period, see how well we do with 56 and then at that point reassess. But right now we are at the point where we have all the positions filled,” Baher said.

Funding for RCMP officers took a dive in 2011, dropping from 53 to 50. In 2014, the number dipped further to 48 but was brought back to 50 following a vote by council. In 2017, former Supt. Jim McNamara requested six additional officers in the 2018 budget to address the officer shortage and the rise in caseload.

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“This situation has had a detrimental impact on officer well-being and fatigue of personnel, further impacting available resources. This demand on available resources contributes to a further decrease in operational capacity during periods of medical and administrative absences. The current limitations on staffing also have an impact on local morale and job satisfaction and may lead to challenges in attracting experienced police officers from other detachments,” Supt. McNamara said.

A Nov. 2017 report to council that examined detachments in similar sized communities showed that Vernon RCMP officers had the highest calls for service in the province from 2010 to 2016 and the highest number of criminal code case files per officer from 2012 to 2016.

Elsewhere in the budget, the RCMP requested a 2.34 per cent increase from last year’s budget which amounts to a $221,058 change.

Supt. Baher said that the budget request change is largely due to increased costs in vehicle replacements, vehicle equipment fit ups for in- car video systems and projected salary increases.

Council is projected to endorse the proposed 2020 budget this week.

by Tiffany Goodwein

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