The future of several integrated regional policing programs in Vancouver Island’s capital region is in question after one of the area’s largest police forces said it was pulling out.
West Shore RCMP, which serves communities including Langford and Colwood, said it is withdrawing its officers from a trio of regional policing units that deal with domestic violence, at-risk youth and mental health crises.
In a statement, Supt. Todd Preston, officer in charge of the detachment, said that while the units do good work, West Shore’s resources are better utilized locally than in downtown Victoria, which has different needs.
“Many of the Regional Units have long focused on complex issues associated to the downtown core of Victoria, which has left gaps in the outlying municipalities,” he said.
“Currently within these models, a disproportionate amount of time is being spent outside the West Shore and neighbouring communities despite the significant contributions being paid into these teams.”
At issue are the Integrated Mobile Crisis Response Team (IMCRT), the Mobile Youth Services Team (MYST) and the Regional Domestic Violence Unit (RDVU).
West Shore RCMP says the units have handled a limited number of calls within its jurisdiction, while similar localized teams created with municipal support have either provided greater service to the West Shore communities, or in the case of domestic violence, are currently being established.
But the move is being met with pushback.
Langford city councillor Lillian Szpak said her municipality was “blindsided” by the RCMP’s decision, which she said will hurt vulnerable youth.
She said many at-risk Langford teens spend much of their time downtown, where they are supported by the MYST unit, even if the numbers don’t show it.
“The argument we have heard about the withdrawal of funding is that there have only been 15 calls in the last year and a half — well, that this within the West Shore. These kids are everywhere. There are 250 active files right now with MYST. So how many of them are West Shore youth?” she said.
“We are talking about kids who are maybe couch surfing, who are risk of drug addiction, who are being sexually exploited. This is so important. It’s not a matter of saying, ‘Oh, we can take care of it on our own,’ this is a regional problem.”
Szpak said she supports the West Shore RCMP’s own youth unit, but that the answer is to have both, both either-or.
She added that the program delivers “bang for your buck” by intervening early before youth end up in the criminal justice system.
“Kids move around,” she said. “They are not just in Langford. They are getting on the bus and going downtown.”
Richmond city councillor Kash Heed, who previously served as provincial solicitor general, described the West Shore RCMP’s move as a “power play.”
He pointed to the recent all-party committee of the legislature’s report on provincial policing reform, which called for a move to more regionalized policing, not less.
“They are, in my mind, playing a political game here knowing very well that these issues are so paramount to the communities they serve that they feel they will get support from the taxpayers, the residents in those communities to do something,” he said.
“This impacts people who are victimized by crime, this impacts communities at large — this will, ultimately, impact police agencies, because instead of them being proactive to prevent these kinds of incidents from happening, all they are doing is being reactive. And when you are reactive, calls for service will increase.”
Heed said he hoped there was “assertive leadership” either from the municipalities or the provincial government to prevent further Balkanization of policing in the capital region.
Premier David Eby said Wednesday that his re-elected government was committed to moving forward with greater regional policing to support both urban and suburban communities.