The decision earlier this year by the RCMP to limit the duties performed by auxiliary constables will have a ripple effect, one likely to be felt on the Semiahmoo Peninsula and beyond.
Under the new guidelines, the auxiliary officers – of which there are some 2,000 across Canada – will no longer be able to accompany regular officers on ride-alongs, nor do traffic duty or crowd control, among other restrictions.
The decision, spurred in part by the death of Canadian Honour Guard Cpl. Nathan Cirillo in Ottawa in 2014, and the wounding of auxiliary Const. Derek Bond in the same shooting incident that claimed the life of an RCMP constable in Alberta last year, reinforces the RCMP’s admirable commitment to maintaining the safety of volunteers in community policing programs.
It’s also undoubtedly the most significant change since it was decided in 1998 that auxiliaries would no longer carry firearms.
But limiting auxiliary duties – while it may not reduce the RCMP’s visibility in traffic and crowd control – will definitely increase the cost of policing for public events.
In the past, events on the Semiahmoo Peninsula – from the White Rock Sea Festival to the Tour de White Rock to any number of fundraising run/walks – have included a large contingent of auxiliary officers. Costs will rise exponentially if those duties are performed by regular members.
The fear is that the changes will also discourage potential auxiliary candidates from signing on, especially in B.C., which has the largest number of auxiliaries in the country.
Only about one in three applicants actually gets appointed as auxiliary constables under the Provincial Police Act. The commitment is steep, involving about 180 hours of training, and successful candidates are responsible for a minimum of 160 hours of service a year.
Candidates are a blend of those who see the experience as an asset to pursuing a career in policing, and those who want to serve the communities they live in.
They are well-versed in the risks the work entails, and volunteer mainly for the rewards involved in serving the community.
Hopefully, the changes – although arguably right-minded – do not mark the beginning of the end of such a valuable program.