Many have dealt with it at one point or another — reductions in the workplace leading to enhanced workloads on those who remain behind.
And the RCMP are no different.
Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP met city council Tuesday to request six more officers, strictly for the City of Vernon to combat just that.
However, that is where the similarities end. While any who are over-worked are sure to struggle, when the RCMP are over-worked, it can create a plethora of problems for everyone.
“The reduction of funded officer positions since 2010, and the increasing workloads over the same period, have had a compounding effect on capacity and a corresponding impact on levels of service,” Supt. Jim McNamara told to council.
Since 2010, the Vernon detachment saw a 10.3 per cent increase in calls for service per officer and a 20.9 per cent increase in Criminal Case offences per officer, while RCMP officer numbers in the city dropped to 50 from 53 in 2011, followed by a drop to 48 officers in 2014, followed by an increase to today’s number of 50.
“This situation has had a detrimental impact on officer well-being and fatigue of personnel, further impacting available resources,” McNamara said. “This demand on available resources contributes to a further decrease in operational capacity during periods of medical and administrative absences.”
The statistics are there, and statistics don’t lie. RCMP officers in the Vernon detachment are required to do more with less, and many of us know how that feels.
Funding isn’t the concern here. Council should help the RCMP by approving their request.
It’s not just for RCMP — it’s for the community.
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