Southern Vancouver Island takes baby step toward regional policing

Four South Island mayors have asked the public safety minister to conduct a review of the pros and cons of a new policing model.

Two Southern Vancouver Island mayors say the region is the closest it’s ever been to uniting its fragmented municipal police departments.

The mayors of Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt, and Oak Bay met with B.C.’s public safety minister last Monday to discuss a potential transition to a new policing model, including a regional service.

“I interpreted the minister’s interest as high,” Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said.

“We had a very thoughtful conversation in which we talked about what (regional policing options) may or may not look like.”

Alto initiated the meeting with a letter to Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger, which was approved by the other three mayors. In the letter, Alto asked Krieger to “initiate a process to examine the future of regional policing” in Greater Victoria — and swiftly.

Before that examination can begin, Krieger has tasked the mayors with reporting how interested their councils and police boards are in transitioning to a new model.

“My police board that serves Victoria and Esquimalt is on the record as supporting regional policing, as is my council,” Alto said.

The same goes for Esquimalt.

“So it really depends a little bit on the mayors of Oak Bay and Saanich, as to what process they feel is necessary to determine whether or not they have the same type of support,” Alto said.

Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock expects to report his findings to Krieger by the end of the year. Saanich’s police board and council will highlight the areas the ministerial review should cover, including operational impacts, cost, and governance, he said.

While Alto and Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins have been vocal about their support for regionalized policing, Murdock’s feelings about the model are more tepid.

“It’s important for us all to get on the same page because I think the communities are not all in the same place in terms of the desire to move forward with changes for policing services,” Murdock told CTV News.

“From Oak Bay and Saanich’s perspective, we’ve been very well-served by our municipal departments, and so we want to have an understanding of what changes to regional service might look like and the impact that would have for each of our municipalities.”

‘Closest we’ve been’

The request for a ministerial review comes as police departments face increasing cost and service demands, paired with staffing shortages and growing populations.

“We all have common challenges. Is there a way we can solve those by working better together?” Murdock said.

While the mayors aren’t asking for a specific outcome, both Murdock and Alto said last Monday’s meeting marked a milestone in the regionalization conversation.

“This is the closest we’ve been,” Murdock said. “At least we’re all in the room asking for a review to see whether or not we need to be looking at how to do this differently.”

Alto shared that sentiment.

“We’re closer than we’ve certainly ever been since I’ve been elected,” Alto said. “If there are great reasons why this is a terrible idea, so be it and we’ll move on.”