Blacks Harbour still weighing RCMP's future despite vote

RCMP officers are continuing to patrol the streets of Blacks Harbour, more than a year after the village announced plans to drop the national police force.

There is also no word on when a decision will be made on how the municipality will be policed in the future.

Blacks Harbour and nearby St George voted to end their contracts with the RCMP amid complaints about slow response times and rising costs in January 2014.

The two communities began studying several policing options, such as a shared regional force tentatively named Eastern Charlotte Police Department.

But St. George council reversed its position in September, opting to stick with the RCMP.

That decision left Blacks Harbour on its own.

Blacks Harbour Mayor Terry James says relations with the RCMP have improved considerably but the municipality is still looking at several policing options, including the status quo.

"We're going to do what's best for the municipality and make sure that public safety is paramount. We're ever mindful of our budget and the costs of policing,” James said.

“It's a struggle."

Another option for the village of just less than 1,000 people is to contract police service with the City of Saint John.

James said the village is still waiting for information from the city.

She said she is also aware that the makeup of Saint John's Police Commission has changed in recent months and its chairperson, Nicole Paquet, has been on the job only since mid-January.

"I would think it would take some time to familiarize themselves with the file," she said.

Pacquet told CBC News that the response is “a work in progress.”

"I expect we should hear soon,” she said.

Businessowner unhappy with RCMP

In the meantime, at least one St George businessowner said he is unhappy with his town's decision to continue to contract with the RCMP.

Greg Hooper, the owner of Uncle Mayn's Convenience, said it can take a half hour to 45 minutes to get police to respond to a call to his store, particularly at night.

"If you look at what Blacks Harbour and St George are paying for, I believe they’re getting ripped off," says Hooper.

"In my opinion the RCMP are stealing from the taxpayers of New Brunswick."  

Hooper said he doesn't blame the police officers themselves. He says there are simply too few of them patrolling an area that is far too large.