City casts critical eye towards policing costs
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Updated: July 23, 2009 6:29 PM
Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton said the RCMP as a whole needs to be more mindful of costs and responsive to the needs of communities.
He made that demand as Victoria and Ottawa negotiate the contractual body that governs the use of the RCMP as a municipal police force. Negotiators are currently gathering information for the pending talks as the current agreement is scheduled to expire March 31, 2012 and a recent memorandum paints at times a critical picture of the RCMP.
The memo prepared by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities notes among other points that the RCMP has on occasions acted without consulting municipalities, leaving them to hold the bag as costs have escalated, stretching municipal budgets.
The report says that current cost increases are not “sustainable” in demanding a new funding formula that eases the burden on municipalities. Figures released from City Hall show that the cost of the RCMP contract alone (not including other administrative and civilian costs) has gone up 77.1 per cent from 2000 to 2009. The contract now absorbs about 23 per cent of city revenues.
The UBCM report is also critical of the RCMP’s failure to communicate new costs — costs often borne by local taxpayers.
“The RCMP can and at times do make unilateral decisions that affect the costs payable by local government without consultation with the local government,” the report said. “This is not considered reasonable in the context of a ‘contract’ or ‘partner’ relationship.”
The report focused especially on the RCMP’s handling of an increase in premiums payable by local government in late 2007. “This notice came very late in the budget process of most local government for 2008, making it necessary to make adjustments to the draft 2008 budget late in the process,” it said.
The report also raised a number of issues that fall under the broad category of accountability. The report laments among other points the RCMP’s failure to supply local government with consistent formal reports about their activities and the non-existence of performance standards.
Ashton, who has seen the report, said he is particularly concerned with the cost and consultation issues.
“In my opinion, these are issues that need to be addressed,” he said.
The RCMP, he said, has to start listening to the concerns of the municipality, just as the municipality has to be more aware of police concerns. “It is a two-way street,” he said.
The negotiations and the accompanying report sent out to municipal officials unfolds against the background of a major personnel change at the Penticton department. Insp. Brad Haugli officially assumed command of the Penticton detachment earlier this month, replacing Insp. Dan Fudge, who retired early in 2009.
Penticton was the first posting for Haugli after graduating from RCMP Depot and he remained here until 1999, going through the various sections growing both as a police office and a person. Haugli, upon his return, has promised an inclusive style in dealing with local government, the Penticton Indian Band and the community-at-large.
Ashton said he believes this will make a “substantial difference” in relations between the city and the local police force.
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