Esquimalt hires consultant to find alternative to Victoria police agreement
The Township of Esquimalt, B.C., is moving ahead with a plan to exit its policing agreement with the Victoria Police Department, hiring a consulting firm to develop alternatives to the shared policing model.
Perivale + Taylor Consulting will propose one or more policing options for the township and put together a transition plan to take effect once the municipality's agreement with the Victoria police expires at the end of next year.
The consulting firm, which has offices in Victoria, Vancouver and the U.K. will also provide policing cost estimates to the township, which residents and businesses will be able to view and comment on before any proposal is forwarded to the Ministry of Public Safety, the township said in a news release Tuesday.
The consultation project is expected to be completed by June 1, 2023.
While the Esquimalt division of the Victoria Police Department currently occupies the ground floor of the municipal hall, future police services in Esquimalt will occupy part of a forthcoming public safety building that is expected to be completed in 2024.
The building will also house the township’s fire rescue services and other township and Capital Regional District offices.
In August, Esquimalt council voted against renewing its police cost-sharing agreement with Victoria, which has been in place since 2003. The current agreement will expire on Dec. 31, 2023.
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