The Victoria Police Board will ask for help from the Police Services Division of the Ministry of Justice in moving forward with recommendations made in mediator Jean Greatbatch's 34-page report, A Framework for Effectiveness released late last month.
B次元官网网址淭hey're the one group missing,B次元官网网址� board member Joan Kotarski said during a July 10 discussion of the report, which outlined steps to improve the relationship between Esquimalt and the Victoria Police Department.
Police board members also encouraged the municipalities of Victoria and Esquimalt to formally request assistance.
"WeB次元官网网址檙e certainly going to need the assistance from the provincial government on this,B次元官网网址� agreed board chair, Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin. "The leadership by the province is going to have to continue."
Under the Police Act, the Police Services Division is responsible for ensuring adequate and effective levels of policing and law enforcement through a variety of measures and oversights.
"I had some concerns with some of the things that are written in there, in terms of accuracy," said board vice-chair, Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins. "They're giving us four months to get this down right in the middle of the summer.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 not fair to the municipalities or the board to "move forward with the warp speed that's being asked,B次元官网网址� she added B次元官网网址� The board came to a compromise and agreed to B次元官网网址渁ccept in principle the inaccuraciesB次元官网网址� in the report cited by Desjardins and others.
"I think our job today is to receive the report,B次元官网网址� said board member Karen Kesteloo. B次元官网网址淭he second part of our job is to develop a plan. We need to identify that we have a certain time frame.B次元官网网址�
A deadline of Oct. 31 was given by Justice Minister Shirley Bond to have initial recommendations in place.
One recommendation called for a framework agreement for governance and funding of the department to be created by a leadership group including the mayors, Chief Const. Jamie Graham, key municipal staff, the police department comptroller and a member of the police board.
"I think there's stuff in here we need to look at further to decide what we need to do,B次元官网网址� said board member Lindalee Brougham. "Will we truly have a voice as we move forward? Because that's been part of the frustration B次元官网网址� we haven't been part of the negotiations or the prior contract.B次元官网网址�
The B次元官网网址渄o it right, not fastB次元官网网址� method proposed by Brougham won out after an hour-long discussion.
The board, not always in agreement on the process, compromised to receive the report, request an appointment from Police Services, ask the two municipalities to make a similar request and meet as a board to develop a response to the report.
The board also identified Brougham and David Johns as possible appointees to that leadership group. A date was not set for the follow-up meeting.
cvanreeuwyk@oakbaynews.com
Name change for board to match department name
Among mediator Jean Greatbatch's recommendations to Justice Minister Shirley Bond was that the Victoria Police Board be renamed the Victoria & Esquimalt Police Board. Such a move would match the name change for the department and would be reflected in plans and budgeting for changing the department's communications materials B次元官网网址� plus car decals and uniform shoulder flashes B次元官网网址� within six months.
