Langley Township and Langley City have been feuding over the possibility of de-integration for our local RCMP detachment for almost two years now, and we're not much closer to a clean break.
Each side has volleyed arguments.
The Township would like to extricate itself from the higher costs of policing the City, which as a more urbanized area, has a lot more calls for issues like petty theft, vandalism, and homelessness.
The City argues that it is paying its fair share, and if it's not, everything could be settled by re-negotiating the policing contract between the two communities.
One side, however, hasn't had much to say. That's the provincial government.
City Mayor Nathan Pachal recently called for the province to appoint an independent facilitator to resolve the issue. We'd go farther.
Solicitor-General and Minister of Public Safety Gary Begg needs to step up.
The province has final say on policing in B.C., and Begg can settle the issue, or at least move us closer to resolution.
It was the province that ultimately made the decision on the controversial plan to switch Surrey from an RCMP detachment to a civic force. In a less contentious move, Victoria approved the de-integration of the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment into separate units for Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge.
So far, the province has largely stayed out of the fray. That should end.
Whether the Langleys are to be allowed to de-integrate their policing services, or whether they are better served by a single detachment, it's the province that can make it happen.
If they want to leave it up to local decision-makers, they can at least set some ground rules. They can send in a mediator. They can set timelines. They can set minimum numbers of officers in each detachment. They can mandate a "soft" de-integration, with two detachments operating under a unified command structure.
Begg should step in because so far, this debate has centred on costs – who is paying their fair share?
The bigger issue is, which form of policing will keep all Langley residents safer?
The province, which doesn't have a financial interest in the matter, is best positioned to hear about the two options and make a decision that will give Langley the RCMP detachment, or detachments, it deserves.
– M.C.
