RCMP Budget Cut by $4.2M

[Treblehook]

No surprise here!! The government knows that the RCMP is an organization that has a long history and culture of doing the same [or more] with less. If you take money from their budget, they will still do the job and they will whine very little about it. The reality is, that in the long run, it is on the backs of the officers who are left on strength to do the work. They will work longer hours, with fewer days off, in their very stressful environment, and will be at significantly greater risk of suffering burnout! When the necessary funds materialize again, the lost positions will be re-staffed, and there won't be a thought about the members who carried the load in the interim. Do they never learn?? Anyone with even a modicum of experience knows that predictable, untenable workloads are not only hard on the officers but also on their families. They pay a very high price to say the least. Obviously, the health and welfare of the members is of little or no consequence to the province. This is a disgusting repeat of an old story!!

[KL3-Something]

Yup

[flamingfingers]

No surprise here!! The government knows that the RCMP is an organization that has a long history and culture of doing the same [or more] with less. If you take money from their budget, they will still do the job and they will whine very little about it. The reality is, that in the long run, it is on the backs of the officers who are left on strength to do the work. They will work longer hours, with fewer days off, in their very stressful environment, and will be at significantly greater risk of suffering burnout! When the necessary funds materialize again, the lost positions will be re-staffed, and there won't be a thought about the members who carried the load in the interim. Do they never learn?? Anyone with even a modicum of experience knows that predictable, untenable workloads are not only hard on the officers but also on their families. They pay a very high price to say the least. Obviously, the health and welfare of the members is of little or no consequence to the province. This is a disgusting repeat of an old story!!

Oh, but they should be LUCKY to have a job!! Suck it up buttercup - you are making WAY more than most other people so just be thankful WE ARE PAYING YOUR SALARY!!

The above was posted in the most sarcastic tone I can muster!! When the government says 'there is no money' - it means they have other priorities instead of policing, education, health care and child poverty.

[Treblehook]

Well Flamingfingers, there is no debating your response to this situation. Such profound insight is seldom witnessed.

[Captain Awesome]

Not exactly a huge number. What's the total budget for BC division?

[KL3-Something]

No. It isn't a big number in and of itself. Until you factor in how much has already been squeezed out in the last few years. And the effects that has already had.

[zzontar]

I doubt I'm the only one who's encountered this, but most guys I know get a ticket for traffic infractions when pulled over and most women I know get warnings... seems pretty easy to figure out how to make up for the extra funds.

[Rwede]

Annual budget is $325 million in BC.

$4.2 million is 1.29% of $325 million.

$4.2 million makes a much more sensational headline than 1.29%.

[Captain Awesome]

$4.2 million is 1.29% of $325 million.

$4.2 million makes a much more sensational headline than 1.29%.

Indeed.

[Donald G]

From a financial perspective policing is an inexact science. There is no formula that says for X million dollars we will solve Y number of crimes and for X+1 million dollars we will increase that solve rate to Y+1 crimes solved. Even the solve rate is imprecise. How many drunk drivers taken off of the road equals one murder solved? How many charges of what type against a criminal drug gang equals one life saved from hard drug addiction?

One thing is absolutely certain. Society can not afford to hire and train enough police officers to enforce all of the laws all of the time. As a result people get ripped off by minor offences, or injured and killed during more hazardous offences. How much money should we spend translates into how much enforcement do we, as a society, feel adequate.

The Commanding officer of the province has stated that twelve positions will have to be cut in the Integrated Criminal Investigation Section (Special Enforcement) in order to meet the reduction in financial resources. What he has not emphasized is that the same amount of work will have to be done by those remaining. That shortage will be in addition to the additional workloads that will have to be carried by those remaining because of many factors, such as;

1. Members away on leave
2. Members tied up in local court.
3. Members unavailable due to injury
4. Members unavailable due to stress leave.
5. Members on time off in lieu of overtime.
6. Members seconded to work specific duties elsewhere, like the Olympics.
7. Members seconded to shorter term duties like green teams.
8. Members transferred out and replacement not available.
9. Members travelling and attending court at their previous posting
10. Members on maternity/paternity leave.
11. Members attending courses or annual qualifications.
12. Members attending civil court inherent in criminal investigations.
13. Politically correct members on shift who are unable or unwilling to perform all of the duties required.
14. Detachments short staffed due to what management call "acceptable shortages"; vacant positions simply not filled for reasons known only to RCMP management. Especially in Rural Detachments.

The response part of policing can not be cut. Complaints, including those serious offences handled by the Integrated Investigation unit have to be investigated. The same number by less officers. Loosely translated, less officers means less investigation on individual files, which in turn means less chance of bringing the file to a successful conclusion.

It all happens in silence and the individual member is required to quietly pick up the extra workload for those "unavailable". The third rate supervisors simply voice demands to "do more with less", "work smarter", "be intelligence driven", "work outside the box" and any number of silly completely unrealistic sayings used by RCMP management that do not change the fact that dedicated individual members end up carrying workloads far in excess of their physical and mental health limitations.

The charade continues.

[wanderingman]

Annual budget is $325 million in BC.

$4.2 million is 1.29% of $325 million.

$4.2 million makes a much more sensational headline than 1.29%.

Now theres a true story if \I ever saw one. The policing we receive will not be effected by 1.29%
If the cops themselves would bare a little responsibility as in working a full shift with out involving personal doings
(see this day and day out) Stress leave?? Gimmie a break here most overused ruse in the system
sick days off another $$ sucking process abused by members
The only other work force that abuses the sick time deal is school teachers

[Donald G]

To wanderingman ...

WADR your comments tell me that you have no experience whatever regarding the problems inherent in the delivery of police services to a community.

Are you willing to have your call ignored in the interest of saving money?

[Treblehook]

I don't think there are many [if any] detachments in British Columbia that are up to strength. Issues such as mentioned by Donald G are always at play... ODS, Maternity Leave, Absent on Duty, Courses and so on. In the case of Municipal Contracts, vacancies don't create any saving for the province because the officers are funded by the town or city. Rural Detachments, funded by the Province seldom operate at full strength, and even if they were, they are not over staffed for sure. The only place that the RCMP can create vacancies or otherwise reduce costs are from units such as they have identified. There is little doubt that there will be a significant, negative consequence to the reduction of resources within CFSEU and the Major Crimes Section. The outlaw motorcycle gang crowd will get less attention with investigations and monitoring of their criminal activities being cut back. Of course major crimes/serious crimes will be investigated as they occur, but one must wonder what impact this will have on investigations into cases like the disappearances and murders of women along the "Highway of Tears" in northern BC. From my perspective, the police have no choice but to create the savings out of personnel reductions because that is the biggest ticket item in their budget. Cutting back on the number of vehicles or individual travel expenses would amount to a drop in the bucket. People who take the position that the officers left behind [to pick up the slack] are well paid and shouldn't complain, have no understanding of the demands placed on the officers. These men and women earn every nickle they are paid for doing that work!

[Donald G]

Right on the money as usual Treblehook.

[Rwede]

Fix the problems with the candy-assed judges in this province and we can save many more millions on policing.