SaanichB次元官网网址檚 involvement in the Greater Victoria Regional Crime Unit wonB次元官网网址檛 change in the wake of Sidney and North Saanich pulling its funding from the integrated force.

Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard says the municipality will B次元官网网址渃arry onB次元官网网址� contributing four officers to the unit, which focuses on catching prolific property thieves B次元官网网址� at least for the foreseeable future.

What makes the future uncertain, Leonard says, is last weekB次元官网网址檚 report from Attorney General Shirley Bond that promises another look at regional policing in Greater Victoria.

B次元官网网址淭hat will address all the different arrangements and help us get to some consistency,B次元官网网址� the mayor said.

Leonard, a strong proponent of integrating services as opposed to amalgamating police departments, says heB次元官网网址檚 disappointed both Sidney and North Saanich will no longer fund the RCU.

Saanich police chief Mike Chadwick agrees that being part of integrated units like the RCU is a better strategy than a single regional police department.

B次元官网网址淭here are different ways some of the critical needs (of the region) can be met without amalgamating the whole group. I donB次元官网网址檛 see Saanich taxpayers will want to go from paying $214 per person to $400 per person to simply split half their department to police downtown,B次元官网网址� Chadwick said.

B次元官网网址淲e certainly see tremendous value in being part of (the RCU),B次元官网网址� the chief added. B次元官网网址�(Fewer municipalities) diminishes the collaborative effort, but I donB次元官网网址檛 know that itB次元官网网址檚 necessarily going to weaken the unit.B次元官网网址�

The Sidney/North Saanich RCMP didnB次元官网网址檛 have a member working in the RCU, but the pullout by both municipalities results in $99,000 less in funding over the next 12 months. Victoria police pulled out of the RCU in 2009.

Oak Bay police chief Mark Fisher, a member of the RCU joint management team, said the funding cut likely means member training and overtime will be reduced.

B次元官网网址淟ess financial or human resources makes it more challenging,B次元官网网址� Fisher said. B次元官网网址淣ow thereB次元官网网址檚 a smaller budget to work with for the year, and weB次元官网网址檒l reevaluate when it comes to 2014. WeB次元官网网址檒l have a better idea of the impact (of less funding) then, too.B次元官网网址�

The RCU has an annual budget of roughly $1.1 million, 54 per cent of which is paid by Saanich.

North Saanich Mayor Alice Finall says her municipality wasnB次元官网网址檛 getting its moneyB次元官网网址檚 worth, considering the investment itB次元官网网址檚 put in over the last five years.

The RCU responded to North Saanich only four or five times since 2008, while the unit responded to Sidney just once.

B次元官网网址淭here were not a lot of action calls for us or for Sidney. This was the consideration for both towns B次元官网网址� a significant expenditure each year with low use,B次元官网网址� Finall said.

The RCU is staffed by Saanich, Oak Bay, and Central Saanich police, and West Shore and provincial RCMP officers. Sooke RCMP provides a financial contribution.

B次元官网网址� with files from Steven Haywood

kslavin@saanichnews.com