Mayor's Report - June 2007

It is timely to provide an update regarding Belcarra’s RCMP policing services given that Belcarra’s property tax notices this year now include the provincial police services tax. You will recall from the information included with the property tax notices that Belcarra’s 2007 provincial police tax is $15.37 per $100,000 of assessed value. This amount is less than one-half the amount paid by our neighbours in Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, and reflects the 50% cost-shared funding provided by the federal and provincial governments for communities that are under 15,000 in population. The municipalities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, which are over 25,000 in population, are responsible for 90% of their policing costs; whereas the City of Port Moody, which has its own police force, is responsible for 100% of its policing costs. Looking at the police tax from another perspective, the total amount paid by Belcarra for 2007 is $43,587; whereas the cost for one RCMP officer is $120,000 per year (salary plus support costs).

The Coquitlam RCMP Detachment covers a remarkably large area ― located between Indian Arm (on the west), Pitt Lake & Pitt River (to the east), the Fraser River (to the south), and extending northward almost to Whistler ― with the municipalities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam amounting to only 10% of the total area. It is also unique in the RCMP Lower Mainland District regarding the number of high-use recreation areas that represent seasonal policing challenges for Anmore and Belcarra:

• Two Provincial Parks: Indian Arm & Pinecone Burke Provincial Parks;
• Two Regional Parks: Minnekhada & Belcarra Regional Parks (900,000 visitors per year);
• One BC Hydro Recreation Area: Buntzen Lake (750,000 visitors per year);
• Two Marine Recreation Areas: Indian Arm Fjord & Pitt Lake / Pitt River.

On May 29^th members of Anmore and Belcarra Councils met with Superintendent Peter Lepine, OIC of the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment, and District Commander Peter German of the RCMP Lower Mainland District, to be briefed on our policing services, and to discuss Anmore’s and Belcarra’s local concerns and service plans. District Commander Peter German provided an illuminating overview (3 MB pdf file) of RCMP services in general and the specialized integrated policing teams that the RCMP provides to all of its detachments. British Columbia is a leader in North America with regard to integrated policing services, and few people appreciate the numerous Integrated Teams provided by the RCMP ― and, amazingly, Superintendent Lepine advised us that the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment has had occasion to request the assistance of a great many of the Integrated Teams during the past year:

• Marine Services;
• Under Water Recovery Team;
• Air Services – Fixed Wing and Helicopter;
• Traffic Safety Helicopter;
• Traffic Services & Enhanced Road Safety Unit;
• Police Dog Service (PDS);
• Forensic Identification Services (FIS);
• Tactical Troop;
• Critical Mass Response To Civil Emergencies;
• Emergency Response Team (ERT);
• Explosives Disposal Unit (Bomb Squad);
• Aerial Extraction Team;
• Major Event, Incident Response & Management;
• BC Integrated Gang Task Force;
• Integrated Hi-Tech Crime Unit;
• Coordinated Marijuana Enforcement Team;
• Clandestine Laboratory Search Team;
• Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT);
• Integrated National Security Enforcement Team;
• Graphic Arts & Forensic Video Sections;
• Integrated Sexual Predator Observation Team (ISPOT);
• Integrated Child Exploitation (ICE);
• Violent Incident Classification Linkage & Analysis System (VICLAS);
• Missing Persons Coordination Center;
• Community Policing Services: AMBER Alert, Parent Block-Watch, Marine Watch, Block Watch, Victim Services, Crime Stoppers, & BC Safe Schools;
• Federal Policing Services: Narcotics, Counter Terrorism, Commercial Crime, Integrated Proceeds of Crime, Integrated Border Integrity Team, Special “I”, Special “O”.

There is a clear business case and benefits of integration in these key areas of law enforcement given the mobility of the integrated teams across multi-jurisdictional boundaries, the lack of jurisdictional boundaries of crime, and the nature and sophistication of the crime in today’s world. Integrated functions are necessary to deal with the more and more complex and multijurisdictional crimes of various magnitude and effect, and specialized teams have a much higher rate of clearing cases and thereby bringing criminals to justice. The number of murder investigations, organized crime and gang violence activities has increased significantly over the past few years and this trend does not appear to be declining. It’s reassuring to know that the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment is an integral part of a larger policing strategy.

Superintendent Lepine has provided Council with electronic copies of the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment 2006 Annual Report (580 KB pdf file) to the communities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Anmore and Belcarra that articulates the successes and challenges of the 2006 Business Plan.

The 2007 Business Plan articulates the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment 2007 policing priorities, based on stakeholder consultation that included Belcarra. It is Superintendent Lepine’s intention to make the 2007 Business Plan an interactive web-based document that will go on the detachment’s internet site; however, this goal presently remains a work in progress. To summarize, the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment 2007 policing priorities are:

• Police / Community Relations
• Police Visibility
• Drugs & Related Crime
• Youth
• Traffic

Superintendent Lepine has also provided the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment’s 2007-1 Quarterly Report (836 KB pdf file), 2007-2 Quarterly Report (422 KB pdf file), and 2007-3 Quarterly Report (387 KB pdf file) that provides the criminal code data for the first nine months of the year, and an update on the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment Crime Reduction Strategy. These quarterly reports are an interesting read, and I encourage residents to have a look.

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