City getting 4 more cops
RCMP brass plan to add four more officers to the Penticton detachment over the next five years, city council heard Tuesday.
One sergeant and one constable are expected to join the team during the 2018-19 fiscal year, ahead of two new constables in 2020-21, according to Autumn Longley, senior finance manager for the RCMP’s E Division.
Those additions would increase to 49 the total complement at the detachment.
Longley was unable, however, to explain the rationale for increased staffing, telling council it’s an “operational” decision.
The acting detachment commander, Staff-Sgt. Kirsten Marshall, was unable Wednesday to provide any additional information.
On paper, the detachment boasts 33 constables, eight corporals, two sergeants, one staff-sergeant and one superintendent. The superintendent position is currently vacant, however, with those duties being handled by Marshall until someone is hired.
Constables make from $50,000 to $82,000 per year, while superintendents earn $133,000 to $140,000.
The average all-in cost per officer, once benefits are taken into consideration, is about $167,000 per year, according to Syvia Poon, senior finance analyst for E Division, who also attended Tuesday’s meeting.
Poon said municipalities like Penticton pay 90 per cent of direct costs, such as wages, training and equipment, while the federal government covers the balance.
Penticton’s bill for the current fiscal year, which ends March 31, is expected to be $7.8 million.
Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said he appreciated the RCMP’s recent shift in its financial planning practices to give municipalities additional time to prepare for cost increases.
“Two years ago, and three years before that as well, we would get a letter in May or June saying, ‘Oh, by the way, your fee is going up $400,000’ . . . and because our calendar year’s different than your calendar year, it wasn’t in our budget,” he said. “If you’re giving us a head-up for next year that it’s going up X, at least we can try to fit that in somehow.”