Dear Editor,:
Re: ““Council keeping Mounties,” News, April 13; “Replacing tunnel is not a priority,” Opinion, April 13.
Two articles in your April 13th edition give cause for hope of a better future.
The first being the future of policing in Richmond and recognition by our community leaders of the third option brought forward during recent public consultations: regional policing.
It is unfortunate Richmond RCMP is isolated from other RCMP detachments (Burnaby, Coquitlam and Surrey) by three separate local police forces (Delta, New Westminster and Vancouver). Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam share a single RCMP detachment with effective cost savings and efficiencies.
I hope any amalgamation of police services for Richmond will include service sharing with bordering cities, as well as the RCMP. Whatever the final decision, I expect a change of uniforms may be the only visible adjustment if the RCMP were not involved. Surely, regional accountability is of paramount importance. RCMP accountability in Ottawa has been less than effective or respectful.
Surely, the provincial government could enjoy significant cost savings with regional policing in the Lower Mainland. Surely, creating a single file associated with processing criminal charges against an individual in a single policing district is far more efficient and cost effective than separate charges, investigations, and a multitude of court proceedings in each existing police jurisdiction.
The provincial government could even share some of those cost savings with the region.
Surely, a single, human resource administration, training and logistical support entity could achieve improved cost benefits and improved internal communications. The Pickton murder inquiry identified a lack of communication between police forces in the Lower Mainland as a significant factor in the mishandling of the case.
A regional police force could and does work in some areas. It seems odd that criminals can cross borders but police cannot.
Community safety is the paramount purpose of policing; cost sharing for those services must be resolved as it has been in the above examples.
Regarding the second item, I am totally impressed with the efforts of Mr. Vincent Chiu and his interest in the affairs of our community and province portrayed in his review of the proposed George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project.
I encourage the residents of Richmond to remember his name and concerns if and when he considers seeking public office. (He ran for the Greens in the last federal election.)
This city has many talented youth, and he is certainly one of them. Thank you, Vincent, and good luck.
Ken McLennan
Richmond
