A dedicated response
New RCMP unit looking to tackle traffic issues in rural communities
SUMMERSIDE – The Mounties are beefing up their presence on Island roadways.
The provincial priority unit launched in 2020 with traffic enforcement being part of its primary responsibilities.
This is the first time the RCMP has had at least a partially dedicated traffic unit on P.E.I. since 2008 when its fulltime enforcement cadre was disbanded as a cost-cutting measure. That defunct unit consisted of four constables and one corporal.
The new unit, so far, consists of two officers, Const. Steve Duggan and Const. Jamie Parsons. They report to Staff Sgt. Kevin Baillie at L Division in Charlottetown but they work throughout P.E.I.
“They generally take an area to concentrate in for a few days, but there have been days during a 10-hour shift when they’ve worked in all three districts,” said Baillie.
He added the reception the officers have received so far has been encouraging. A desire for more traffic enforcement is something RCMP members hear about regularly from the communities they serve.
Traffic enforcement was a big part of the reason the province decided to fund the unit with an additional $163,000 to the RCMP.
RCMP officers at all the detachments do traffic stops regularly, but that work is done mostly while they are between more high-priority calls.
“I think anybody who drives here would agree that traffic offences and impaired driving continues to be a problem on the Island,” said Baillie.
The RCMP had asked the province to fund some new positions to the Island’s complement
of officers and the unit was the result of those negotiations.
The unit can be shifted based on the priorities and needs of the province.
While traffic enforcement is its main priority right now, it can also be called on for things like VIP protection, search and rescue and other
activities that would normally take officers at the county detachments away from their usual duties.
One of the unit’s first assignments was helping to staff the 24-hour police presence at the Confederation Bridge that was introduced due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. When that constant presence was reduced in late 2020, the unit was refocused to other duties.
One of the rural communities that has felt the loss of the RCMP traffic unit is O’Leary. Mayor Eric Gavin said the traffic situation seems to have been getting steadily worse in recent years.
“Speeding is quite an issue in town here,” he said.
The RCMP is good at communicating their efforts to the town, he added, but there are only so many officers to go around, and since the loss of the traffic unit that kind of enforcement has been less of a priority.
Town officials were encouraged to hear the new officers would be focusing much of their time on traffic enforcement.
“If they can prevent one person from being seriously hurt, that’s quite a bonus. That’s the way I look at it,” Gavin said.
The officers from the unit regularly make use of the force’s two Twitter accounts to communicate with Islanders about traffic concerns. They can be found at @RCMPPEITraffic and @RCMPPEI.