B.C. investing $230M into rural police forces

Building on a previous announcement on public safety, B.C. Premier David Eby has announced new funding aimed at police forces in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

The province will be spending $230 million over three years to support staffing and specialized units in those areas. The funding is part of the previously-announced Safer Communities Action Plan.

We’re taking action to deliver stronger public safety services to protect people in urban, rural and remote communities all over BC. New funding will help specialized units staff up and help keep our streets safer for everyone. https://t.co/KXgK1G99ne #SaferCommunities pic.twitter.com/c8BL6sUD5c

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) November 24, 2022

Eby says the money will ensure the RCMP can operate to its “full capacity.”

“Everyone deserves to feel safe, and my government is working on every front to protect our communities and make them stronger,” the premier said. “The actions today will help stabilize policing and provide our provincial police force with the staff resources they need to address public safety concerns head-on.”

The province says the funding will go toward staffing levels, including filling in vacancies in communities with less than 5,000 people and bringing provincially funded RCMP units to full staffing levels. The money will also help in the hiring of additional officers for specialized units, and be directed toward anti-money-laundering recommendations from the Cullen Commission, the B.C. government adds.

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“Staffing up these units will improve public safety by increasing the overall capacity of homicide and missing persons investigations where foul play is suspected, and deterring the causes of motor vehicle fatalities, such as speeding, distracted driving and impairment,” a provincial release stated.

Public safety minister Mike Farnworth is calling the investment into RCMP funding “historic,” adding it has taken two years to achieve.

“Sustained core funding will provide a strong foundation for police resources, enabling the police to focus on violent crimes and other pressing public safety issues, while also actioning the implementation of the Safer Communities Action Plan and other public safety initiatives,” he said.

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It’s the first specific investment from the Safer Communities Action Plan that new premier David Eby has announced since being sworn in last week. The plan is meant to take aim at a number of issues, including cracking down on repeat violent offenders and organized crime, among other issues.

Since being sworn in on Nov. 18, Eby has already made a handful of announcements, including cost-of-living relief measures, and a new housing plan.