Editor:
Re: Delta not sold on regional force, Jan. 25
Regional policing will not happen anytime soon.
As a retired police officer, this subject has been talked about since 1975 when I joined the Vancouver Police Department. I believe Wally Oppal's recommendations are justified for the overall good; however, there comes good and bad with all these types of changes.
Regional policing will not happen here, not because of our "no call is too small" motto, but because of politics. I am not picking on Delta's mayor or police chief because the attitude will be the same in West Vancouver, Port Moody, New Westminster and Surrey.
The mayors in these communities usually chair the police board and maintain a lot of control of the policing in their community. They would lose this control with regional policing.
The police chiefs in these communities are big fish in a small pond and would not have the same rank with regional policing unless they were the one chosen to be the regional chief.
On the other hand, the lower ranks might benefit from regional policing and if they were asked, they may admit to being in favour of it. For the lower ranks, there would be more opportunity for career advancement, change in work assignments and transfers to different squads such as motorcycles, mounted and marine.
The suggestion of regional specialty squads has been tried before without success and should be avoided at all costs. These squads began with great intentions but there is still the deep-rooted protectionism of information and very little was accomplished.
If we are going to make changes, let's do it right and go regional or not do it at all and stay with the "no call too small" policing.
D. Barker
