Langford Mayor Stew Young has suggested that his region needs a larger police force.
The West Shore is policed by an RCMP detachment that consists of 57 officers and 18 civilian employees, according to Langford’s website, although the Times-Colonist cites higher numbers. The detachment typically handles 19,000 files per year. Langford also employs security guards for some tasks, such as park patrols.
Young told CTV Vancouver Island he wants more boots on the ground in response to a report that crime is up in that community, “crime is up 16% So maybe I better go hire 20 more police officers.”
A staffing increase would likely have to be agreed to by officials in Metchosin, View Royal, Highlands, Colwood, and Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. Both Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton and View Royal Mayor David Screech suggested that they have no funding in place for additional resources any time in the next year, as their budgets are set.
The Times-Colonist reports that each new RCMP officer costs about $120,000 to $130,000 per year.
