With bylaw enforcement and road monitoring becoming a priority for area rural municipalities, the RM of Browning is looking for a joint project with the RM of Coalfields.
Browning is already knee-deep with a proposal to hire a constable through the enhanced RCMP program. They are looking for partners in the venture and a public meeting was held in Bienfait Feb. 4, as the idea was introduced to Coalfields residents.
With a full hall at Bienfait's St. Monica Parish, the idea received a cautious reaction with several concerns being raised by individuals. Chief among those were cost and whether the position could sustain itself with funds coming back to the community through tickets and fines.
The RMs hope that through this program, bylaws could be enforced. That's something the RCMP does not do, except in extreme cases, but this enhanced position allows for a constable to be at the RM's disposal at all times.
Rather than working with the rest of the detachment, the hired officer would be under contract with the RM. There would be a memorandum of understanding outlining everything the constable would be expected to do. It's likely that if the two RMs add the position, the job would include enforcing bylaws and patrolling the roads, adding a greater RCMP presence in the area.
Sergeant Darryl Milo of the Estevan RCMP detachment made a presentation outlining some of the differences between what the RMs would get from an enhanced officer compared to what they do get from the RCMP detachment.
He said that because his detachment is so busy, it can be difficult for them to provide a comprehensive presence throughout both RMs, and respond to calls of vehicles speeding.
Browning pays $14,000 per year for RCMP service, while Coalfields pays $18,000. An enhanced officer would cost $120,000 per year, and that includes all costs for the position, including those for a vehicle. If both RMs take part jointly, they would split that cost.
The officer may be able to pay for himself through the tickets and fines people would pay, noted Brian Fornwald, RM of Browning councillor. He said communities get 100 per cent of the bylaw fines paid by violators, and for every traffic ticket the constable issues, about 75 per cent of the fine will go back to the RM.
Fornwald also said there are other cost savings they could potentially see from adding the enhanced RCMP.
"It's kind of anecdotal at the moment, but one of the RMs that has done this before said one of the first things you're going to notice is that your gravel costs go down," said Fornwald.
He said Browning's annual gravel costs are about $1 million, so a savings of between five and 10 per cent could nearly pay for the officer if Coalfields joined. Those savings would come by reducing speeds on the gravel roads and getting weights on vehicles hauling goods to a legal level.
The officer would be based out of the Estevan RCMP detachment, but could set up small offices in the Bienfait or Lampman town offices as well.
"I don't see why he couldn't have an office in the town of Lampman or in the RM office," said Milo. "That would be a better place for him to be in the area where he is working. Would he still need our cells? Sure. Would he still need some of the stuff in our office? Absolutely. It probably wouldn't be a fully stocked office, but it would be an office that he could get by in a day or a week and have everything he needs."
At least 70 per cent of the officer's time would be spent on completing the duties as set out in the memorandum of understanding, while the Estevan detachment could use the remainder of the officer's time to assist with them under special circumstances.
That would be rare, so Milo said it would very likely be more than 70 per cent of his time would be devoted to his regular duties. The constable would not be responsible for responding to calls that come into the detachment. Milo said he would only be called to assist in circumstances where the other officers would need back-up.
The officer would have his own vehicle and shift schedule according to the RM's needs, so Milo likened the prospective officer to a town cop.
The differences between a bylaw enforcement officer and the enhanced RCMP program, is that an RCMP officer could enforce bylaws as well as monitor the roads. Milo noted he would also have access to the Estevan detachment's radios.
Hiring a bylaw officer was brought up by someone in the crowd as a less expensive alternative to the enhanced RCMP program, that isn't something that Browning is ready to consider.
"As far as the RM of Browning is concerned we want the whole ball of wax, not just bylaw enforcement. Speed is atrocious, as well as weights," said Fornwald, who said hauling weights are a big issue in their RM.
Fornwald said Browning is generally looking forward to adding the enhanced RCMP, and in April 2012 put in an application for the position. That means if all parties wish to, they could have the position starting as early as this April. The constable would work on a one-year contract and the RMs must give one year notice to terminate the position.
"Our council is pretty committed to giving it a try," added Fornwald. "We were hoping Coalfields would be joining us. If they don't, we may have to consider our steps on it. We do have ratepayers who think $120,000 in one year is a lot of money."
For those in Coalfields, this was the first public meeting on the matter, so Reeve Stanley Lainton said he wished everyone would go home and think about the information. They can contact their councillors with their thoughts on bringing in the enhanced RCMP before the next council meeting.
