RCMP approves new backup policy in remote areas
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 | 3:45 PM ET
CBC News
The RCMP approved a new backup policy on Wednesday that does not allow officers to respond to violent or potentially violent situations on their own.
RCMP officers will be required to have backup when responding to calls that involve:
• Domestic disputes.
• Weapons or the threat of a weapon.
• People who are posing a threat to themselves or to others.
• Remote areas where there is no means of calling for help.
• General violence or threat of violence.
• Situations that the officer personally deems risky.
End of Paste
Significant portions of rural Alberta are considered to be remote areas by the RCMP and will be affected by this new policy. This change in policy will affect the RCMP’s ability to respond to some situations. Our local detachment does not always have one officer on duty for rural complaints and a second officer would not be available or would have to come from another detachment some distance away. Given recent past events it is certainly understandable why there was a change in policy. Rural policing is paid for by the Province, every additional officer costs a lot of money and unless the Province is willing to allocate more money to policing in remote areas which include most of rural Alberta then the RCMP’s ability to respond in is going to be affected. It will take several years to recruit and train enough new members to meet the requirements of this policy, even if the money is available.
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 | 3:45 PM ET
CBC News
The RCMP approved a new backup policy on Wednesday that does not allow officers to respond to violent or potentially violent situations on their own.
RCMP officers will be required to have backup when responding to calls that involve:
• Domestic disputes.
• Weapons or the threat of a weapon.
• People who are posing a threat to themselves or to others.
• Remote areas where there is no means of calling for help.
• General violence or threat of violence.
• Situations that the officer personally deems risky.
End of Paste
Significant portions of rural Alberta are considered to be remote areas by the RCMP and will be affected by this new policy. This change in policy will affect the RCMP’s ability to respond to some situations. Our local detachment does not always have one officer on duty for rural complaints and a second officer would not be available or would have to come from another detachment some distance away. Given recent past events it is certainly understandable why there was a change in policy. Rural policing is paid for by the Province, every additional officer costs a lot of money and unless the Province is willing to allocate more money to policing in remote areas which include most of rural Alberta then the RCMP’s ability to respond in is going to be affected. It will take several years to recruit and train enough new members to meet the requirements of this policy, even if the money is available.
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