Premier Christy Clark has broken her promise to ensure that the province provides police with adequate resources to investigate the Stanley Cup riot, says NDP justice critic Kathy Corrigan.
Corrigan said Monday that up to seven Metro Vancouver municipalities have been asked to pick up the tab for nine officers who have been seconded to the Integrated Riot Investigating Team.
Details surrounding the officers' secondment are contained in a report to Richmond council.
On July 25, Richmond's community safety committee voted to ask the province to pay the full costs and objected to the lack of consultation prior to making the decision.
"The province has been requested by the RCMP to consider paying the costs of the secondment but there has been no formal position on payment communicated to the municipal sector," said Phyllis Carlyle, Richmond's general manager of community safety.
Carlyle said the city's cost is up to $75,000 for the six-month period, and there may be overtime expenses for a replacement and costs for a police cruiser as well.
Shortly after the riot in downtown Vancouver on June 15, Clark said the province would ensure police agencies have adequate resources to conduct their investigations.
"This investigation needs to be well done and the provincial resources will be there to make sure it happens," she said.
Two officers have been seconded from Surrey and Burnaby, and one each from Richmond, Maple Ridge, Langley, North Vancouver and Coquitlam.
"The premier made a promise that the province was going to provide the resources. It looks like some of those resources are being downloaded to the municipalities," Corrigan said.
A 50-member team of police officers and civilian experts is investigating the riot, but no charges have been laid to date.
So far, Richmond is the only council to publicly complain about being given a bill.
In Surrey, assistant RCMP commissioner Fraser MacRae, whose decision it was to provide the two officers, said he is comfortable with the "provincial aid kind of approach."
"It's the nature of policing. If you need help, we're there to give you a hand," he said.
"The riot was a terrible set of circumstances which embarrassed the whole country.
Everyone was disgusted by what occurred," he said.
A spokesperson for the solicitor general's office said the ministry had received a letter from the City of Richmond and would consider "their concerns."
They added Clark has committed to "assist in funding" the police investigation.
"As the investigation is ongoing, final costs are not yet determined," said the spokesperson.
RCMP spokesman Supt. Ray Bernoties said no municipality policed by the RCMP will be compelled to participate in the investigation.
