An impaired driving trial, a handful of family cases and other court business were adjourned in Victoria in April because of a shortage of sheriffs.

This week, two cases were delayed by 30 minutes because not enough sheriffs were available for the courtroom.

While staffing shortages for sheriffs have abated in Victoria, they havenB次元官网网址檛 disappeared and are still affecting the justice system in the city.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e been scrambling, using managers, using supervisors to make do,B次元官网网址� said Dean Purdy, chair of the Corrections and Sheriffs Services compartment of the B.C. Government EmployeesB次元官网网址� Union, of the staffing situation in Victoria.

While the worst of the delays are over, Purdy said, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e heard itB次元官网网址檚 only a matter of time before it starts again.B次元官网网址�

Adding to the delayed justice, the provincial government cut the hours of 52 auxiliary and part-time sheriffs this month, equivalent to eliminating 34 full-time positions. ThatB次元官网网址檚 on top of the loss of nearly 100 sheriffs B次元官网网址� almost 20 per cent of the workforce B次元官网网址� by attrition during a four-year hiring freeze.

Then, on Tuesday, Premier Christy Clark said the problem had to be addressed.

Clark said she would be speaking with Attorney General Barry Penner about the issue.

Penner, for his part, said his ministryB次元官网网址檚 budget is tapped out, but he would look at reallocating funds to pay more sheriffs.

FebruaryB次元官网网址檚 provincial budget approved cuts totaling $14.5 million for court services, prosecution services and the judiciary, despite a 2010 report from provincial court judges warning more than 2,000 criminal cases are at risk of being quashed due to excessive delays.

With trials scheduled months in advance, delayed court cases can be pushed back by several months to a year. In such instances, the cases are at risk of being thrown out, as the wait could be found to violate the accusedB次元官网网址檚 right to be tried in a reasonable time.

B次元官网网址淭he staffing levels are already critical and (the government) is forcing a showdown between the judiciary and government staffing,B次元官网网址� Purdy said. B次元官网网址淭he security of court staff, the judges and the public are at risk.B次元官网网址�

ecardone@vicnews.com