After months of speculation, and a recent outcry from Esquimalt residents who complained they were being kept in the dark, the township announced Tuesday the RCMP is the preferred policing provider over the Victoria police.

B次元官网网址淚 believe this is a good thing because (it) allows the (police) board, it allows Esquimalt and it allows Victoria to now get on with the business of moving forward with some understanding of what the future is,B次元官网网址� said Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins.

B次元官网网址淭he RCMP best met the (request-for-proposal) criteria and the scope of work, which is why they ended up being our preferred proponent.B次元官网网址�

The announcement came after EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 policing and law enforcement advisory panel reached an impasse that could not be resolved without making its policing choice known.

ItB次元官网网址檚 unfortunate, said Desjardins, that EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 choice had to be announced before the solicitor general could consider the proposal.

B次元官网网址淢y utmost concern is for how this unfortunately had to roll out to the (police) rank and file, and I did not want that to happen,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淏ut clearly things were spiralling out of control in the media, such that somebody needed to put some clarity toward it.B次元官网网址�

EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 stalemate arose when the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General asked the advisory panel to flesh out a report detailing its preferred choice, which the township submitted at the end of June. The ministry asked for more information on human resources, labour relations, financial and contractual issues, among other items.

But to answer those questions, the panel needed to go back to the RCMP for more information, but couldnB次元官网网址檛 out of concern the proponents would learn which had been chosen ahead of the ministryB次元官网网址檚 decision.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted to make sure that the proponents both heard about (our choice) outside the media, as well as the solicitor general,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said.

That process can now continue.

B次元官网网址淚t allows us to work with the RCMP and if thereB次元官网网址檚 information that we need to get from VicPD as well ... we can do that in an open way,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said.

Residents still wonB次元官网网址檛 learn why the RCMP was chosen over VicPD.

B次元官网网址淚 know residents will have a number of questions as to why,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said, adding that those details cannot be released because the request-for-proposals had a clause promising confidentiality to the bidders.

In response, Victoria mayor and chair of the Victoria Police Board Dean Fortin hopes Solicitor General Shirley Bond will step in and start a dialogue about regionalized policing for Greater Victoria.

B次元官网网址淣ow is the time that we really look for the provincial government for leadership,B次元官网网址� Fortin said. B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e hoping that the solicitor general will take a look, get involved and actively give a level of policing that the good citizens, I think, in Greater Victoria want to see and happen.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e all generally agreed that the best policing would be an integrated model, a model of regionalization, and we see this decision as a step backwards,B次元官网网址� Fortin said, but declined to elaborate on what that model would involve.

B次元官网网址淲e need to look forward on looking at regionalization ... Bad guys donB次元官网网址檛 know borders.B次元官网网址�

Given EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 preference for the RCMP, Desjardins acknowledged the tension the decision may create at the police board level.

Still, she remains optimistic now that the ministry has ordered a review to address governance, financing and dispute resolution issues that have plagued Esquimalt and Victoria since their policing was amalgamated in 2003.

The review, conducted by Jean Greatbatch, a human resources specialist, is expected to begin in the coming days, and recommendations are to be submitted to the ministryB次元官网网址檚 police services division by Jan. 30.

The review comes at a critical time as police budget discussions are expected to begin soon. Esquimalt refused to pay the full balance of its annual policing bill earlier this year.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com