Mayor says shortage a priority for city
Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Nov 15/00) - There is a shortage of RCMP officers in Yellowknife and the city is showing some concern.
At a Nov. 7 meeting, Mayor Gord Van Tighem told RCMP the city would be conducting further meetings to discuss remedies to the shortage.
Staff Sgt. Terry Scott told the public services committee that the detachment is very busy, dealing with 4,445 criminal complaints so far this year. Last year, they only had 2,778.
Although seven staff vacancies reported during the summer are now filled, Scott said problem stems from the fact the RCMP have not seen their numbers increase since the early 1980s. Staffing levels are dictated in a contract with the GNWT.
"The only way we get an increase is at the expense of another detachment," he said.
"We made it through one of the busiest nine months this detachment has ever seen," Scott said. "It taxes everyone and puts a lot of stress on people ... and it can create morale problems."
Much of the increase in crime is related to vandalism or public drunkenness.
Yellowknife RCMP deal with an average of 200 files each.
That's way above the division's average, Scott said, and about three or four times an officer's average in the south.
Although nothing has been formalized, Van Tighem outlined three possible solutions.
"We currently have the same number of RCMP officers as we did 10 to 12 years ago," Van Tighem said.
"So, first we may be negotiating with the Department of Justice for a reallocation of funds to Yellowknife."
That would mean taking current GNWT funding from other detachments for use here. Van Tighem has not approached the department yet.
A meeting between the RCMP and the city will be scheduled within the next couple weeks.
The mayor said another option is a separate city contract with the RCMP to be added to its current GNWT and federal contracts.
Van Tighem said that option is still a long way away since it deals with budget issues.
The third option is a balance between municipal enforcement and RCMP.
"At this point it has been identified and there will be opportunities over the next while," Van Tighem said. "It will be one of many priorities ... fairly high on the list."
Scott stressed that the increase in minor crime is a result of RCMP toughening up on it as well as better reporting.
"I do have a very good group of people working here," Scott said. "And we've been able to handle it so far this year."
