It would be an understatement to say Salmon Arm council was not thrilled with the provincial government乌鸦传媒檚 response to its request for more provincially funded police in rural areas.
乌鸦传媒淢oney has been put aside supposedly in the 2023 budget effective April 1st. ,乌鸦传媒� said a disgruntled Coun. Kevin Flynn. 乌鸦传媒淚n the 20-plus years, 18 of them at this table with a three-year community-imposed holiday, I have heard this same thing every time we乌鸦传媒檝e asked. I乌鸦传媒檓 tired of it. It乌鸦传媒檚 another non-answer from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.乌鸦传媒�
At the 2022 Union of BC Municipalities convention, a resolution from the City of Salmon Arm was accepted by member municipalities and then presented by the UBCM president to the provincial government. The resolution essentially asked that the ministry increase the number of provincially funded police officers immediately and ensure future allocations meet rural demands for policing. In the preamble, the city pointed out rural populations are growing steadily, yet provincial policing numbers haven乌鸦传媒檛 increased at the same rate as municipally funded positions. It said the lack of officers affects rural safety while putting a strain on municipal budgets.
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The resolution related directly to Salmon Arm乌鸦传媒檚 policing predicament. Despite many attempts to increase the number, Salmon Arm has had the same number of provincially funded rural police officers for 20 years, who are responsible for areas outside of the city. Meanwhile the number of municipal officers, which are 90 per cent funded by local taxpayers, increases.
乌鸦传媒淢y message is, enough of the double speak and talking around the issue. Start looking at rural policing and start prioritizing areas that haven乌鸦传媒檛 seen a new officer, even though they乌鸦传媒檝e doubled in population, in 15 years. So, thank you to the UBCM president, but no thank you to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General,乌鸦传媒� Flynn said.
Flynn directed a remark to Mayor Alan Harrison, referring to a previous meeting on the topic.
乌鸦传媒淚 was good cop in that meeting and you were bad cop 乌鸦传媒� so to speak, and this answer is a bunch of nothing, one more time.乌鸦传媒�
Harrison responded, smiling: 乌鸦传媒淚 think you should play the bad cop next time. It didn乌鸦传媒檛 work very well with me doing it.乌鸦传媒�
Harrison referred to the next UBCM convention in September 2023, when municipal councils have an opportunity to speak directly to ministers or ministry staff.
乌鸦传媒淚 think we need to go at it jointly. We need Area C, Area G reps there. There乌鸦传媒檚 a new Solicitor General. I乌鸦传媒檓 not blaming him, it乌鸦传媒檚 a huge department. But you乌鸦传媒檙e right, we haven乌鸦传媒檛 had an increase in policing since 2005, which is almost 20 years now,乌鸦传媒� Harrison said.
乌鸦传媒淲e are supporting the policing out there (in rural areas) with our tax dollars. There is no doubt about it.乌鸦传媒�
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martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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