The mayor of Oak Bay is inviting the regionB次元官网网址檚 mayors over for an B次元官网网址渙pen and frank discussionB次元官网网址� on policing in the region.

The single-issue meeting, to be held early in the new year, may allow leaders to identify B次元官网网址渁 better wayB次元官网网址� to deliver policing to the regionB次元官网网址檚 municipalities more efficiently and cost-effectively, said Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen.

The mayors could look at the pros and cons of a regional police service, something Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin and Victoria police Chief Const. Jamie Graham have been advocating.

Consolidation of policing services will likely also be a topic of interest at the meeting, Jensen said.

B次元官网网址淲e certainly want to hold out that the Oak Bay-Saanich model is one that could work regionally,B次元官网网址� he said, noting that Oak Bay council recently extended its contract with Saanich to use some of the district's policing services.

The meeting is about exploring options, Jensen said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure thereB次元官网网址檚 other innovative ways to deliver policing services, and thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the reasons I want to start the dialogue with the other mayors,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 certainly heard during the (November municipal election) campaign that, even in Oak Bay, people want to ensure that they have the proper and efficient policing services for the whole region,B次元官网网址� said Jensen.

Leaders have a responsibility to listen to the plethora of letters to the editor and editorials written on the issue, he said.

The mayoral talk is especially timely given the contentious relationship between Victoria and Esquimalt representatives on the Victoria Police Board. Esquimalt and Victoria's police services were amalgamated in 2003.

Esquimalt announced in October its preference is to be policed by the RCMP rather than the Victoria Police Department. The township has submitted paperwork asking B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Solicitor General Shirley Bond for permission to make the switch.

The ministry is expecting the results of an independent review of the troubled amalgamation by the end of the month.

In that context, B次元官网网址淚 think (policing is) going to be a tough issue to sort out, thereB次元官网网址檚 no question about that,B次元官网网址� Jensen said. B次元官网网址淏ut until we sit down and start talking about it weB次元官网网址檙e not going to know what the way forward is.B次元官网网址�

At the upcoming meeting, the mayors will likely examine several policing models, B次元官网网址�... one of them being the Esquimalt model where thereB次元官网网址檚 an amalgamated force (with Victoria), and weB次元官网网址檝e seen the fallout from that,B次元官网网址� said Nils Jensen. B次元官网网址淥n the other hand we have the Oak Bay-Saanich model that seems to be working very well.B次元官网网址�

Other models include RCMP operations in Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin, Highlands and Sooke, as well as North Saanich and Sidney. Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich and Central Saanich have municipal police services.

A date for the mayoral meeting on policing has not been fixed.