The following information is provided as background to the October 18th Township of Esquimalt news release “Esquimalt Council Announces Policing Recommendation.”
Additional Information Required by the SolGen
The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General informed the public, in its Information Bulletin dated Oct. 14, 20011, that it has asked our Policing and Law Enforcement Advisory Panel “to address outstanding issues in its future policing plan” and that the “plan requires further significant, detailed information concerning human resources, labour relations, financial, contractual and other issues before it can be considered further.” The Township had discussed with the Ministry that gaining this additional information would require disclosing the Township’s recommendations to the proponents, as well as revising and renewing the Panel’s Terms of Reference.
The RCMP Proposal
In its Request for Proposal for the Provision of Policing Services, the Township stipulated a number of conditions; a prime one being that the policing be for and located in the Township exclusively. The RCMP proposal best met this requirement. Council also looked at the budget implications of changing to a new policing service. Understanding that a municipality newly policed by the RCMP is required to absorb 100% of the policing costs in relation to services provided by the RCMP, their submission was still deemed to be the best service arrangement for the Township. A review of the Request for Proposal “Scope of Work” on the Policing and Law Enforcement pages of the Township website will provide readers with further clarity on all areas that were examined in depth. In the final analysis, the RCMP best met the Township’s requirements in all rated examination areas.
Information Disclosure vs Confidentiality
The change from Victoria Police Department to the RCMP recommended to the Ministry is a reflection of listening to the policing priorities expressed by the community. There will be many questions that residents will want answered in the months ahead. Once the Ministry has made
its decision on the Township’s recommendations, those answers will be answered as best possible considering confidentiality provisions placed on the Township. The confidentiality that must be maintained and respected is dictated by the Esquimalt Policing and Law Enforcement Advisory Panel Terms of Reference, confidentiality clauses in the RFP process and FOI clauses.
This Information Bulletin is the second in a series on policing in Esquimalt.
For more information, please contact:
Barbara Desjardins, Esquimalt Mayor
Tel: 250-412-8600