The Delta Police Department is currently looking at its options after the Municipal Integrated Emergency Response Team (MIERT) disbanded.
Delta has been part of MIERT for several years, however as of Jan. 1, the agreement between the four agencies - Delta, Abbotsford, Port Moody and New Westminster police departments - was dissolved.
Department spokesperson Const. Ciaran Feenan said Delta is looking at creating its own emergency response unit consisting of 12 officers trained to respond to higher risk calls. He said there are currently eight fully trained emergency response officers within the department and four others have been identified.
Delta has an interim agreement with the Vancouver Police Department to provide emergency response officers to Delta if needed.
The VPD has a 32-member emergency response team.
"We're looking at other options past June of this year," Feenan said.
Feenan said the end of MIERT did not come as a surprise and a management team has been looking at numerous options to determine "what would best benefit the community."
