Service shortage
Municipalities questioning extended policing contracts after staffing issues result in less time by RCMP in communities
The mayor of Borden-Carleton is looking to join forces with other municipalities in an effort to improve the policing in their communities.
Mayor Charles MacKenzie is unhappy with the level of policing currently being provided to Borden-Carleton, and he suspects other municipalities feel the same way. So, Borden-Carleton officials are drafting a letter to send to the provincial government, but before sending it they will seek support and input from other P.E.I. municipalities.
“We kind of figure, when it comes from all communities, it will mean more,” said the mayor.
MacKenzie says he empathizes with the RCMP, suggesting they’re doing the best they can with the resources they have.
The commanding officer for Prince District RCMP, Staff Sgt. Derrick Hewitt, acknowledged the district is currently in the midst of staffing challenges.
“It fluctuates from day to day but, for the most part, we’re down, at the very least, probably about 40 per cent of our members right now,” he said.
The full complement is 14 officers for East Prince and 12 for West Prince. His position, as well as the district’s Operations NCO and the RCMP members on the district’s joint forces operation (JFO), are outside of that complement.
Hewitt said the force has pulled one of its JFO members to help fill the gaps.
Officers off on sick leave or injury, officers on light duties (office duties) and a vacancy are primary reasons for the shortages.
At a town council meeting in Tignish last week, Mayor Allan McInnis raised the issue of the contractual obligations for policing not being met. He said this town is paying for 160 hours of protection a month, but he said only 96 hours were received in January.
“If I was to use the excuse, and you can quote me on this, ‘we don’t have the money at the end of the month to pay our share of the contract with the provincial government for the RCMP contract here in Tignish,’ would they say, ‘Oh, that’s alright; you can pay us next month or the following month.’ No, they would come back and say, ‘No, no, you have a contract with us for 130-some thousand dollars for the year. You have to pay it.’”
The police report presented during the O’Leary Town Council February meeting revealed that RCMP members spent 107 hours in the town in January, down from 131 hours the previous month.
“There’s absolutely nothing against the force, nothing against their staff; that’s not the issue,” O’Leary Coun. Darren MacKinnon said. “I am concerned that, if you’re not getting something you’re paying for, why are you paying for it?”
He suggested the town communicate with the provincial government and get a clear indication of what the prospects are of a solution.
“I do sympathize with the people, say, of Tignish and Alberton and O’Leary and Borden-Carleton that have these agreements,” Hewitt said.
But he stressed the contract with the province allows the force to move officers around for operational reasons.
“When we need members, we need members. We’re not going to risk the rest of the public to fill that contract for an extended service agreement.”
No one with the P.E.I. Department of Justice and Public Safety was available for an interview, but a department official provided information by email. It acknowledges the RCMP is obligated under its Extended Service Agreement (ESA) to notify the department should anything arise which may suggest the RCMP is unable to fulfil the duties, but no such indication has been given.
The current 30-year agreement was entered into in 2012 and covers policing for all of P.E.I., except the municipalities of Charlottetown, Stratford, Cornwall, Kensington and Summerside. The ESAs are between the province and individual municipalities.
“This is a provincewide issue,” said MacKenzie.