Moncton policing report recommends keeping RCMP, citing cost

A study of policing services in the Moncton area recommends staying with the RCMP, citing a multi-million dollar cost of starting and running a new municipal police force. 

The study released Thursday estimates staying with the RCMP could save $132 million over 15 years, though several elected officials questioned the figures.

"The Study identified significant costs, challenges, and risk in considering a move to create a regional municipal police force, and a combined model is not considered feasible," the study's summary states. 

The nearly 200-page report by consultants Perivale + Taylor and Cornerstone says establishing a bilingual force with nearly 180 officers "would be difficult and pose a high risk."

The latest report was released at a public meeting Thursday morning at Moncton city hall. 

Robert Taylor, a vice-president of Perivale + Taylor, said the risk comes from equipment, potential higher insurance costs and trying to quickly hire staff.

The consultants estimated 20 to 30 more officers would be required than the current 152 to replace specialized policing services, such as forensics provided by the RCMP.

The report sets the stage for what's expected to be a series of meetings and discussions about the future of policing in Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview.

The communities have been policed by the Codiac Regional RCMP since 1998 when the province disbanded the Moncton's municipal police force.

The study was launched by a council vote in Moncton almost two years ago to review policing services, a decision that cited rising costs for the RCMP, crime and concerns about local control. 

Its recommendations called for various changes to address governance and oversight of the Codiac RCMP by the Codiac Regional Policing Authority, a civilian board.

"We think Moncton is well served, it has a good model of policing, and we think these improvements would complete this modern police agency," Taylor told Moncton council.

Policing authority chair Don Moore issued a statement after the report was released saying it would review the report and "commit to taking necessary steps towards implementing said recommendations."

Estimates $132M savings over 15 years with RCMP

The study estimates keeping the RCMP would cost about $132 million less over 15 years than creating a new regional municipal police force. 

That in part accounts for the loss of a 10 per cent subsidy the federal government provides for the Codiac RCMP budget. It also includes transition costs estimated at $73.5 million over 15 years.

It assumes both the current RCMP building on Main Street will be open when the transition starts in 2025 as well as the new police station on Albert Street to facilitate the transition. 

However, the transition cost includes more than $41 million in "contingency and adjustments."

"The contingency is for unforeseen costs including but not limited to additional administrative staff and/or regular members, salary differentials, space modifications, fleet services needs, or other costs not currently known," the report states.

Coun. Bryan Butler questioned the figures.

"I would want the residents who I represent ... to understand that these are numbers that are, you know, going [to be] very, very, very liberal," Butler said, suggesting they are the worst-case scenario.

"These are numbers that, if everything fell apart and we had to put two police forces together for five years, these are the numbers that it's going to cost us."

Taylor said there are few examples to draw on when considering changing police forces, and the consultants relied on numbers from Surrey, B.C., which is moving to a municipal force.

"I think your concerns about the budget are valid," Taylor said. 

The estimated transition cost is substantially higher than the estimate in Grande Prairie, Alta., whose city council voted in March to 

That city with 110 RCMP officers expects the transition to a new municipal force to cost $19 million over five years. Codiac has 152 officers this year, 42 more than Grande Prairie. 

The report points to Surrey, B.C., with a 843-member RCMP force that is transitioning to a municipal force. 

"There is a high margin for error as experienced by the City of Surrey," the report states, indicating that municipality had estimated in 2019 the change would cost $153 million. It says all but $3 million was spent by December last year when the transition was not yet complete.

The report includes several recommendations:

• Annual police workload analysis.
• Making staffing decisions based on the workload analysis and improvements in data collection.
• The three communities should request the Codiac Regional Policing Authority establish a community feedback process on public safety and policing matters, and provide greater transparency and consultation with municipal councils.
• The three communities should support partnerships to address "social disorder challenges."
• Ensure that people appointed to the policing authority be suitably trained for their role, pay the board chair and specific board members, and establish a part-time executive director position for administrative functions.

Reaction mixed

Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold welcomed the recommendations, calling them progressive and helpful. 

"They seem to have really addressed the barriers that we as councils have been facing with either being able to hold the RCMP to account or to be able to measure what they are doing," Arnold said. 

Arnold acknowledged that several council colleagues appeared to find the report lacking.

Coun. Paul Richard, one of the councillors who originally moved the motion to review policing services, said during the meeting that he wanted more analysis of a hybrid option of a new municipal force with some specalized services provided by the RCMP. 

He told CBC in an email he believes there is missing information and wants clarification on some aspects.

Riverview Mayor Andrew LeBlanc said in an interview that he personally supports keeping the RCMP, emphasizing that it would ultimately be a council decision. 

"Based on this report, I would, I agree with its finding," LeBlanc said in an interview. "I think most of our councillors have have reacted in a similar way. But as I say, we have not publicly reviewed it."

Dieppe Mayor Yvon Lapierre said his council will discuss the report in the future, but based on initial responses he expects no change in the relationship with the RCMP. 

"I think it confirms that we have a good service, we're receiving good service from the RCMP," Lapierre said in an interview.

No immediate decision expected

It's unclear when Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview will make a decision based on the study. Lapierre and LeBlanc both said they expect it could be soon.

It's the second time since Moncton's municipal force was disbanded by the province in the late 1990s that a review of policing has taken place.

A review in 2010 also pointed to the cost, ultimately leading to maintaining RCMP services. 

After that review, a 20-year contract between the Mounties and the Codiac Regional Policing Authority was signed. The contract ending in 2032 allows either party to withdraw from the agreement by providing two years notice.

The cost of the Codiac RCMP is split between the three municipalities, with Moncton covering more than 70 per cent of the budget. 

The proposed budget — which is separate from the study — for 2024 would see the cost rise to $47.8 million, up by $3.9 million from this year. That proposed budget has yet to be approved by the three councils.