BC Policing and Community Safety Plan - Ministry of Justice ...

•¡RCMP provincial forceIn March 2012, the provincial government renewed its 20-year Provincial Police Service Agreement (PPSA) withthe Government of Canada to contract the RCMP as British Columbia’s Provincial Police Force. Under the termsof the PPSA, rural or unincorporated areas of British Columbia are policed by the Provincial Police Force, withthe provincial government paying 70 per cent of the cost-base described in the agreements, and the federalgovernment paying the remaining 30 per cent in recognition of the benefits gained from the RCMP actingas the Provincial Police Force. These benefits include facilitating the flow of intelligence between all levels ofpolicing, having RCMP members available for redeployment for emergencies or large events, and sharing thecosts and use of common police and administration services.The Provincial Police Force can be broken into two main categories: detachment policing and the provincialforce infrastructure. Detachment policing provides local police services to municipalities under 5,000 populationand unincorporated (rural) areas throughout the province by means of uniformed patrols, response-to-callduties, investigative services, community-based policing, traffic enforcement, and administrative support toprovincial detachments.A portion of the provincial cost is recovered through the provincial police tax. In 2007, property owners inmunicipalities under 5,000 population and unincorporated (rural) areas began to pay the provincial police taxwhich covers a portion (less than 50 per cent) of the general duty and general investigative police servicesprovided by the Provincial Police Force.The Provincial Police Force infrastructure includes capital-intensive services such as marine and air capabilities,and provincial Operational Communications Centres which provide emergency communication (e.g., 9-1-1,Dispatch) services to all provincial and municipal police units outside of the Lower Mainland. The ProvincialPolice Force also provides traffic enforcement on all provincial highways; the capacity and expertise to resolvehigh risk incidents; target organized crime, gang violence, and serial crimes; as well as to provide security andpolicing services for large scale community events and emergencies. The Provincial Police Force providesservices to the entire province including areas policed by municipal police departments and designated policeunits such as the SCBCTAPS.In 2012, the Provincial Police Force authorized strength was 2,602, including 769 members providing generalduty and general investigative services at provincial detachments.•¡Municipal policingUnder the Police Act a municipality must assume responsibility for its police services when, as recorded bya Canada Census, its population reaches 5,000 persons. These municipalities may form their own municipalpolice department, contract with an existing municipal police department, or contract with the provincialgovernment for RCMP municipal police services.In 2012, there were 74 municipalities in British Columbia responsible for providing police services within theirmunicipal boundaries. Twelve municipalities were policed by municipal police departments and 62 werepoliced by the RCMP.8BRITISH COLUMBIA POLICING AND COMMUNITY SAFETY PLAN