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Greater Victoria police forces issues and news


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#941 rmpeers

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Posted 22 March 2019 - 09:11 AM

Victoria *really* doesn't like being in the policing business, does it?

I feel for the VicPD members who have to put up with all this nonsense.


I think there has been a subtle narrative over the past 5 years that crime is okay, that the law should not be applied equally and that the only laws that matter are ones our local government reps make up in their head.

In fact, the only law most of our local government adheres to is a simple one: must get elected, whatever the cost.

If drug dealers thrive, if kids are playing with used needles, if a few women get sexually harassed, if someone the mayor may or may not know is operating am unauthorized airbnb, if sexual assaults happen in a tent city.... none of that matters, as long as we get elected. As long as it doesn't happen to us, crime is not a problem.
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#942 Midnightly

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Posted 22 March 2019 - 12:28 PM

I think there has been a subtle narrative over the past 5 years that crime is okay, that the law should not be applied equally and that the only laws that matter are ones our local government reps make up in their head.

In fact, the only law most of our local government adheres to is a simple one: must get elected, whatever the cost.

If drug dealers thrive, if kids are playing with used needles, if a few women get sexually harassed, if someone the mayor may or may not know is operating am unauthorized airbnb, if sexual assaults happen in a tent city.... none of that matters, as long as we get elected. As long as it doesn't happen to us, crime is not a problem.

 

 

very true.. because when a crime happens to helps it makes top story on the news... and it is a targeted attack against her, not a random act.. remember the locks on her spokes?



#943 VIResident

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 06:34 AM

    Today's Times Colonist: Add Mounties to West Shore detachment, mayors urge https://www.timescol...urge-1.23787982

"....detachment is struggling due to years of provincial underfunding.

 

An RCMP staffing report found that West Shore RCMP is understaffed by at least nine officers. "

  Meanwhile, National Post reports: Rethinking the Mountie mandate: RCMP needs to quit municipal, provincial policing, critics say in wake of new report - https://nationalpost...o_autoplay=true

#944 Mike K.

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 06:39 AM

Talking to a Mountie the other day, I was told the biggest staffing problem at the West Shore detachment is mat leave. He or she questioned why that’s never raised as an issue by the media, when it’s at the crux of the detachment’s staffing dilemma.

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#945 spanky123

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 06:48 AM

Talking to a Mountie the other day, I was told the biggest staffing problem at the West Shore detachment is mat leave. He or she questioned why that’s never raised as an issue by the media, when it’s at the crux of the detachment’s staffing dilemma.

 

I am sure that having mat leave extended to 18 months recently doesn't help either when it comes to staffing.



#946 Mike K.

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 07:37 AM

No, it doesn't, and there are some officers who come back from mat leave, only leave once more as another child is born. Meanwhile other officers must now pick up the slack which means their own files receive less time and attention.


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#947 spanky123

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 07:41 AM

No, it doesn't, and there are some officers who come back from mat leave, only leave once more as another child is born. Meanwhile other officers must now pick up the slack which means their own files receive less time and attention.

 

That raises an important point. Most large organizations can't backfill maternity positions because they have no budget to do so. The person on mat leave is still being paid benefits and in many cases is having their salary topped up to cover the EI shortfall.



#948 Mike K.

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 07:46 AM

36 months of mat leave if an officer has two children when working between 25 and 35 years of age, multiplied by five or six officers in the so-called prime of their working life, can rapidly erode the effectiveness/staffing requirements of a police detachment. And this isn't just a male vs. female thing, male officers take mat leave as well.


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#949 Mike K.

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 07:48 AM

Then add to that stress leave, injuries and mental health-related absences, and you've got problems.


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#950 thundergun

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 08:53 AM

That raises an important point. Most large organizations can't backfill maternity positions because they have no budget to do so. The person on mat leave is still being paid benefits and in many cases is having their salary topped up to cover the EI shortfall.

 

I would argue that larger institutions are much more likely to backfill than smaller ones. Typically they have trend data and can plan for mat/parental leaves across the organization and the budget comes out of a central pot.

 

What is hard is to hire, train and get someone capable at any sort of complex job in 12 months, or to attract good candidates for a short term position where they may need to leave a permanent one to get. What I have found most difficult when dealing with mat leaves is not knowing whether the person will be return after at the originally planned time, whether they will extend their leave (often allowed up to another year unpaid) or chose to not return at all. Lots of uncertainty for the employer, even though it is a good thing for the family. You can never bring it up as an issue as you will be seen as insensitive.



#951 spanky123

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:11 AM

I would argue that larger institutions are much more likely to backfill than smaller ones. Typically they have trend data and can plan for mat/parental leaves across the organization and the budget comes out of a central pot.

 

What is hard is to hire, train and get someone capable at any sort of complex job in 12 months, or to attract good candidates for a short term position where they may need to leave a permanent one to get. What I have found most difficult when dealing with mat leaves is not knowing whether the person will be return after at the originally planned time, whether they will extend their leave (often allowed up to another year unpaid) or chose to not return at all. Lots of uncertainty for the employer, even though it is a good thing for the family. You can never bring it up as an issue as you will be seen as insensitive.

 

Doesn't work that way in my experience. Larger orgs have billets and a body fills a billet. If there is extra budget room then you might be able to get a position opened, but since the original billet is filled and the company is paying that person a salary and benefits then it is not a given. 

 

Agree 100% on the uncertainty factor. If you are lucky enough to be able to advertise for a temp role what do you say? Not many people are going to leave an existing job when you tell them if the new role will be for a week or 18 months.



#952 thundergun

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:41 AM

Doesn't work that way in my experience. Larger orgs have billets and a body fills a billet. If there is extra budget room then you might be able to get a position opened, but since the original billet is filled and the company is paying that person a salary and benefits then it is not a given. 

 

If a large organization that doesn't budget for maternity (or other e.g. STD/LTD) leaves, then I'd question the abilities of their finance & hr departments. 


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#953 Matt R.

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:49 AM

We just buy them a car seat and a copy of Birthing From Within and keep their benefits running and say see you when we see you!

Matt.
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#954 spanky123

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:50 AM

If a large organization that doesn't budget for maternity (or other e.g. STD/LTD) leaves, then I'd question the abilities of their finance & hr departments. 

 

So you are going to budget extra resources for every department in a company because someone might become pregnant? 

 

That might be how it is done in Government but I don't know of too many private companies that keep that sort of headroom in budgets.



#955 sdwright.vic

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 11:55 AM

My branch of government doesn't fund that way. The position sits empty, the workload returns to the parent inventory if work to be redistributed.
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#956 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 04:41 PM

i am almost sure that in any and all events it’s not possible to find police officers as temps.

#957 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 04:43 PM

Talking to a Mountie the other day, I was told the biggest staffing problem at the West Shore detachment is mat leave. He or she questioned why that’s never raised as an issue by the media, when it’s at the crux of the detachment’s staffing dilemma.


because it would not be politically correct.

#958 sdwright.vic

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 05:01 PM

Just searched every major temporary staffing agency in Canada.

None of them have any police officer positions.
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#959 AllseeingEye

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 05:34 PM

Although there are obviously some high level policing functions they cannot or would be outright barred from performing, from a legal or training/experience perspective, does the RCMP maintain a pool of reserves a la the City or Saanich, who can be tapped to provide at least some staffing relief in performance of more mundane and routine tasks such as traffic or crowd control? 

 

I do know federally the RCMP is undergoing some fundamental scrutiny and review at the highest levels; best they get on with it, figure out what type of force they want/need/can afford be in the 21st century, then ensure they have the requisite federal funding and backing. They're certainly going to have to be awfully creative from a recruiting standpoint - lots of (more lucrative and flexible) career options out there for the kids coming up to replace the boomers. 



#960 Kilo95

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 07:36 PM

Although there are obviously some high level policing functions they cannot or would be outright barred from performing, from a legal or training/experience perspective, does the RCMP maintain a pool of reserves a la the City or Saanich, who can be tapped to provide at least some staffing relief in performance of more mundane and routine tasks such as traffic or crowd control?

I do know federally the RCMP is undergoing some fundamental scrutiny and review at the highest levels; best they get on with it, figure out what type of force they want/need/can afford be in the 21st century, then ensure they have the requisite federal funding and backing. They're certainly going to have to be awfully creative from a recruiting standpoint - lots of (more lucrative and flexible) career options out there for the kids coming up to replace the boomers.

The RCMP have their own version, which they call “Auxiliary Constables”. However, due to the shooting of an RCMP officer and his Auxiliary partner in Alberta a few years back the program was suspended out of safety/liability concerns. The program has been overhauled and slowly rolled out nationally, however the major change is that all Auxiliary Csts require “armed overwatch” (aka a regular Cst with a firearm), which basically negates the value the Aux Csts provide of freeing up regular officers. Municipal depts have much greater freedom in how they operate their programs and the responsibilities they give to their Reserves. Unfortunately for the RCMP everything is on a national or provincial scale, and change within the organization is v e r y slow.

Edited by Kilo95, 11 April 2019 - 07:39 PM.

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