Would Richmond benefit from forming its own city police force, or should it stay with the RCMP?
That’s the question local council members will be contemplating in the coming weeks and months after Mayor Malcolm Brodie announced recently that the city was continuing to research the feasibility of forming its own independent municipal police force.
And while it can be a polarizing issue, Andy Hobbs, a longtime member of the Vancouver Police Department and Richmond resident said it’s one worth looking into.
Hobbs, a former local school trustee who ran unsuccessfully for council in the 2014 civic election, told the Newsthere are pros and cons to both models of policing. But from his experience with the VPD, the main benefit of establishing a local police force would rest with having local control in terms of finances and governance.
“It puts the governance in a local environment, rather than in some cases being as far away as Ottawa,” said Hobbs. “The bottom line is you have control over your budget. So, if you decide you’re going to have 10 less police officers, then the department has 10 less police officers. That’s entirely within the city’s decision-making process.
“In the end, the city cuts the cheque.”
Where a nationally based police force has an advantage would involve the RCMP’s scope of responsibilities, history and experience which could come into play during large scale events such as a disaster — natural or man-made, Hobbs said.
“There’s a capacity in the RCMP that you can rely on,” he said. “And sometimes that can be a good thing.”
So too is the RCMP’s diversity of personnel who can come from all regions of the country.
But whichever organization ends up policing Richmond’s streets, Hobbs said a key to its success relies on the ability to adapt and change with the needs of the community, something he acknowledges the RCMP in Richmond has spent a lot of effort on and achieved good results.
As for what he thinks city council will ultimately decide, Hobbs said the choice between the two is so close it could go either way.
“I think some people are super-conscious about changing the status quo,” he said. “But at the end of the day I think council will vote sincerely for what they think is the best model for Richmond.”
The city is currently three years into a 20-year contract with the RCMP which contains a two-year out clause if the decision is made to make a change.
