Short-staffed Rivers police bring in RCMP
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/05/2024 (908 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The short-staffed Rivers Police Service will be using the help of local RCMP for their routine calls under a six-month interim agreement with the Mounties.
In a press release, Riverdale Municipality said RCMP officers will be responding to calls for police service in the community.
“The Rivers Police Service has been maintained since 1913 and both the Rivers Police Board and Riverdale municipality fully intend to continue providing this service for many years to come,” the release stated.
RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Julie Courchaine did not say how many Mounties would be part of the agreement, but told the Sun that many of the officers that would be assisting Rivers police would be out of the Brandon, Carberry and Souris detachments.
She added that as many RCMP officers as needed will be used to help answer calls for service and conduct regular patrols.
Acting police chief Const. Darwin Drader told the Sun that the agreement was due to recent staff turnover. He said that a few months ago, the Rivers Police Service had five officers, but after former chief Lon Schwartz resigned and left for another position in March, and a constable left to take a job with the Mounties, the police service is low on manpower, with three officers left.
“We’ve always been able to deal with call volume, that’s never been an issue,” Drader said. “It’s just hard to keep staff.”
Drader has been a constable on reserve for the Rivers police for 10 years and said the service is hoping to hire a new chief and more officers.
“It’s one of those situations where, like anything, the RCMP are paying good money, and Brandon (Police Service) is looking for experienced officers, so they’re offering signing bonuses and everything else,” he said.
According to the municipalities’ press release, the Rivers Police Service is actively recruiting new officers. Once staffing levels resume to normal, the agreement with the RCMP will be rescinded.
The Sun reached out to the municipality for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
The contact numbers for police assistance have not changed — 911 remains the number for emergency assistance and 204-328-7430 is the non-emergency line.
» gmortfield@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @geena_mortfield