More funding first, says Charlottetown police about joining new P.E.I. joint enforcement unit

Charlottetown police Chief Brad MacConnell says he's seen the province fund various policing initiatives, but that funding is often not sustained, leaving police departments on the hook for commitments made by the province.

Last month, a letter sent by MacConnell and Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown to Justice Minister Bloyce Thompson was made public. It outlined some of the reasons why the Charlottetown Police Services would not be joining a new Joint Enforcement Team aimed at tackling the illicit drug trade and organized crime.

The team is made up of members from Summerside Police Services, the Kensington police agency and RCMP. The province is spending $800,000 on the project.

MacConnell has seen similar initiatives in the past and they haven't worked out, he said, such as when the previous provincial government created a similar group to tackle biker gangs.

"The government had certainly the best intentions to form a task force to deal with outlaw motorcycle gangs, but I can tell you logistically it broke down. Partners retreated. Bikers are still here. And Charlottetown police were left with expectations to try to manage that," he said.

"We certainly realize drug enforcement and drug issues are at the forefront of Islanders' minds. While we agree in the spirit of this initiative, we have concerns over logistics, over sustainability of the model."

'We'd like those core issues addressed'

MacConnell pointed out despite Charlottetown police not being part of the program, there is still a lot of collaboration such as Charlottetown aiding with technology and digital forensics.

"There are some core fundamental policing issues that have to be addressed in regarding the funding of policing here on Prince Edward Island, especially in the capital area, and Charlottetown in particular," he said.

"So, we'd like those, you know, core issues addressed before we jump into a situation where we're increasing public expectation and we're not going to be able to deliver."

The province had previously provided funding for four Charlottetown police officers to help patrol the area around the Community Outreach Centre on Park Street. There were two more which were going to be funded, but because of city council voting against keeping those services running, that money never came through, MacConnell said.

MacConnell also thinks Charlottetown police aren't being recognized for the role they play in drug enforcement already, he said.

"Our drug enforcement teams are out pacing any of the other drug enforcement units, I think, in Atlantic Canada. Certainly, I think there is a lack of recognition for that, for the great work Charlottetown is doing," MacConnell said.

"I think it is quite unfair for the province at this point to cast any shadow over the city of Charlottetown and our police services when we are just trying to meet the demands of our own mandates."

Council questions lack of consultation

The issue came up during the regular meeting of Charlottetown's city council on Tuesday night. Coun. Terry Bernard wanted council to have a role in deciding if the city's police would be part of the program.

"Decisions are being made that we know nothing about. That's not the way council is supposed to operate. It's more of a concern for me that the process here is you have a level of government asking another level of government, 'Will you join us?' And so, it is not up to staff or the mayor alone to make that decision to say, 'No, we're not.' It's council as a collective," Bernard said during the meeting.

Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov backed up Bernard's position, saying she would have liked to know about the letter and that it could be "politicized", she said. Thompson mentioned the Charlottetown police wouldn't take part in the program back in May. The City of Charlottetown later released the letter to CBC.

Brown didn't think the letter he signed would be made public, he said.

"I thought there was a breach there between the two offices," Brown said during the meeting, adding that he thought the correspondence was going to be private. "The chief assisted with the response because of his background in this field."

MacConnell believes the matter was operational in nature and didn't need to come to council for approval, though he acknowledges more information should have been provided on what the province was asking city police to do.

In an emailed statement sent to CBC News Wednesday, P.E.I. Justice and Public Safety Minister Bloyce Thompson said he would like to see every police agency on the Island involved in JET, but for now his department is grateful to the agencies that have signed on.  

"[Justice and Public Safety] is now working with the willing agencies to get this initiative rolling, and are already seeing results from several actions being executed by the JET since beginning their work in May," the statement reads.

"We all understand that drugs and organized crime know no borders or boundaries, which is why a collaborative approach like the JET is so important."