Panel data provided by Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter.

RCMP Superintendant States His Case for Staff Increase

By 250 News

Council has  accepted an RCMP report for consideration in its budget deliberations.

In the report to Council, Superintendent Dahl Chambers says the Police force has had no increase in manpower for the past 10 years and there are growing problems in the community and surrounding area.  He noted  that while the analysis indicated there should be ten officers, he is asking for six.  Chambers says officers responded to 45,000 calls last year, representing a 5.9% increase in calls and the force needs more to do the job effectively.

He also points to the new  bylaw on pawn shops that will take extra time to  bring the computer tracking system on board. When asked  where  Prince George stands on the matter of staff numbers compared to other similar communities, Superintendant Chambers said Prince George is lagging behind, and has been for some time.  He says auxilliary officers are being used where appropriate, with 20 in the auxilliary  stream now, and another 13 being trained.  

Councilor Zurowski wanted to know if the planned new building would create enough "efficiencies"  that  could offset the need for extra officers.  Chambers told Councilor Zurowski,  the new facility needs to go ahead "If you are asing me if I could have one or the other, I am telling you they are equally important  and I would urge Council to proceed with that."

Chambers is asking the City to approve funding for 6 new officers, one analyst and two support staff.  Although the proposal would see the positions "phased in" they would cost a little more than $860,000 a year by 2008.

The budget deliberations begin on February 1st.


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