Langley City will work on the Township with de-integrating the shared RCMP service into two detachments, but it will take more than two years, the City’s mayor says.
“This is a long process that takes many, many, many years to complete,” said Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal.
Pachal was responding to the Township’s May 10 announcement that it intends to launch de-integration, citing concerns about the City not hiring more RCMP officers in recent years, despite higher call volumes per capita in the City.
The announcement was not a major surprise, as Township Mayor Eric Woodward talked about the issue during last fall’s election campaign, and the Township has sought reports on the matter beginning early in this term of office.
The Township’s plan would end the City’s agreement for shared use of the Langley RCMP detachment facilities in Murrayville in 24 months, but Pachal believes de-integration will take much longer than two years.
He pointed to the split in the Ridge Meadows detachment, with Pitt Meadows getting its own RCMP detachment separate from Maple Ridge. That started six years ago, he said.
“It’s going to be beyond this term of office,” he said. The current term of office started last fall and lasts four years.
The shared policing agreement between the Township and City is determined by a contract, and it’s up for renewal soon, said Pachal.
“If this was about that, we would be negotiating that through the contract,” he said.
But the Township has informed the City that they’re not interested in renegotiation, Pachal said.
READ MORE: Township votes to split from shared RCMP detachment with City
The mayor said that the number of RCMP officers paid for by the City – the City funds about 54.5 officers, while the Township funds more than 158 – is one of the highest per capita in the Lower Mainland, behind only Vancouver.
Although the City has not added more RCMP officers to the detachment in several years, Pachal said the City is looking at dealing with some of its major public safety issues – such as homelessness and mental health issues – in a holistic manner, that includes but is not limited to police.
“If we could police our way out of mental health challenges and homelessness, we would have,” he said.
He expects the City will be creating its own detachment and RCMP headquarters, but the provincial government will have to be satisfied that public safety needs of both communities are satisfied before a split is allowed.
However, he emphasized that policing in the Langleys will be “status quo” for the immediate future.
When it comes to future policing, Pachal said his primary concern is for local City residents and businesses.
As for where a future Langley City RCMP detachment might be located, Pachal said that as part of the Nexus plan, which envisioned a changed downtown core based on the SkyTrain’s arrival, there was an area set aside for a “safety precinct.”
There is some City-owned land that could be used for a detachment, Pachal said.
The City will create a transition plan, but Pachal said that the costs of the split would be borne by the Township.
Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
