Moncton votes to drop RCMP

Moncton council has voted to pull out of the Codiac Regional RCMP agreement, saying it's too expensive for Moncton taxpayers because Dieppe and Riverview are not paying their fair share.

But it's willing to give the two neighbouring communities an opportunity to pick up more of the cost.

Meanwhile, the city will also start negotiating with the RCMP for a separate Moncton detachment, and will look into the cost of starting up its own municipal police force.

'You know the public wants us all to be one big, happy family, and get along and sit down and negotiate, but that hasn't been possible.' —Coun. Kathryn Barnes

As it stands, the average cost of RCMP service in Moncton for a $140,000 home is $467, while it's only $387 in Riverview and $245 in Dieppe, Moncton city manager Jacques Dubé told council.

"It doesn't make a lick of sense," he said.

The Codiac RCMP took over policing services in the greater Moncton region in 1999 under orders from the Liberal government of the day.

On Monday, council voted to cancel the contract with the Codiac RCMP when it expires in 2012.

June deadline for proposals

But it has given the other communities until the end of June to negotiate a better deal, said Coun. Daniel Bourgeois.

"Let's simply ask them to sit down with us and make us an offer we can't refuse," he said.

Otherwise, almost any other option appears cheaper, the councillors said.

"You know the public wants us all to be one big, happy family, and get along and sit down and negotiate, but that hasn't been possible," said Coun. Kathryn Barnes.

"And I can love my neighbour as much as I like, but he doesn't expect me to pay his household expenses," she said.

Council expects to select the best offer it receives by the end of June.

A consultant's report received by council March 11 recommended the city stay with a regional RCMP force. Creating a separate Moncton RCMP detachment or a municipal force would cost too much money to start up, the 220-page report suggested.

The report also found that Moncton represents 66 per cent of the population served by the Codiac RCMP, but pays a higher percentage of the $17-million annual cost of the force, about 75 per cent.

The New Brunswick Police Association has said a municipal force could do what the RCMP does for Moncton but for about $6 million less a year, due to lower salaries.