Don’t mess with the RCMP. If you do, you’ll have to go through Maple Ridge council first.
Following a presentation Monday on RCMP regional services, such as the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, council praised the national force and made it clear, they support her majesty’s horsemen.
While other politicians are “grabbing some headlines,” by discussing the formation of a regional police force, Coun. Al Hogarth said regional policing should be done by the RCMP.
“Maple Ridge is well served. I’m proud of the fact we were the first community to sign the contract,” the new 20-year agreement with the RCMP, added Mayor Ernie Daykin.
“I know I can pick up the phone, and vice versa, and we can have those conversations.
“We really do view the [Ridge Meadows] detachment as an arm of the district,” he added.
“There’s been some chatter about regional policing. From my perspective, we’ve got it.”
RCMP Chief Supt. Brian Cantera, accompanied by five other officers, made an annual presentation about the integrated teams such as IHIT, the Integrated Forensic Identification Service or the Integrated Road Safety Unit, which cover the Lower Mainland and are paid for by contributions from participating cities.
Coun. Cheryl Ashlie, though, wanted to know if it was possible to reduce overtime hours.
“It’s really an issue right down to the front line,” Cantera said. The RCMP is trying to deal with that throughout the force, mindful of the effect too much overtime can have on officers.
“The whole time I have been here, we’ve had an excellent relationship with the RCMP, both locally and regionally,” added Coun. Judy Dueck, who was council liaison to police.
“I think our community is extremely well served.”
She said she was impressed with the RCMP training after visiting, along with the mayor and CAO Jim Rule, the RCMP depot in Regina, Sask.
“I always had high regard for police officers and the RCMP, but going to depot as an elected official really reinforced to me why I always felt that and why it’s important to continue to support you.
“Because you’re extremely well trained, the organization as a whole is a great organization.”
Missing Women Inquiry commissioner Wally Oppal last December called for a regional force, saying it’s “crucial” to improving public safety and policing in the region. The inquiry was formed to investigate how dozens of women went missing from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Oppal called on the province to create a Greater Vancouver police force after concluding a fractured, badly coordinated police response was a key underlying factor that let serial killer Robert Pickton keep killing for years after he should have been caught.
Some Metro Vancouver mayors welcomed reform of regional police services, but few endorsed the idea of fully switching to a regional force from the current patchwork of municipal police and RCMP detachments.
Cantera said the inquiry dealt with a time before integrated teams were formed.
