The town of Esquimalt, British Columbia, chooses not to renew its police agreement

On South Vancouver Island, theEsquimalt Council unanimously renewed a 10-year framework agreement between the Township, the City of Victoria, Victoria and the Esquimalt Police Commission. decided not to. local police service.

The Council voted that he would notify BC, the Police and the City of Victoria of the Township's desire not to extend the current agreement, rather than renew it. .

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We did not make this decision lightly," said Esquimalt Mayor Barbara Desjardins.

"But Esquimalt has been plagued by this model for many years, so this is neither a sudden nor a new problem.

[It's] challenging on both sides. This issue represents a large amount of funds for Esquimalt taxpayers that can be used for various projects that benefit the community.

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The next step for the Township is to submit a request for proposal to identify consultants to propose one or more police service models. This includes a transition plan for Congress to consider and a public engagement strategy.

It must be submitted to the state for review before the current contract expires, with the service delivery model ending December 31, 2023.

Last spring, Esquimalt conducted a public consultation campaign to help 74% of people choose new police service options. It has said it supports the council's efforts to consider it.

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Victoria Police Chief Del Manak shared his thoughts on the decision on his Twitter page.

"Our officers are serious about serving the residents of Esquimalt and have built a high level of trust and engagement with the community, so this decision from the Esquimalt Council I am disappointed," Manak said.

"This decision is a cost-cutting measure and does not reflect the superior police service provided by VicPD officers."