Cumberland County seeks proposals for its own police force
The area is currently served by RCMP and mayor hopes they will apply
Cumberland County, N.S., will soon issue a request for proposals for local policing services.
Cumberland County is the second largest county in Nova Scotia by land area after the Halifax Regional Municipality. The RCMP currently serves the population of just over 30,000.
In the past, councillors have expressed concern about the number of RCMP vacancies in the county.
"As we consulted with the public through five public consultations with Narrative Research there were common themes in the communities we visited," said Cumberland County Mayor Murray Scott in a news release on Friday.
"Those being visibility, response times and the need to feel safe in homes and communities. The report and survey reflect that and council has made a decision to issue [a request for proposals]."
Scott said he is hopeful the current provider — the RCMP — and other potential providers will respond to the request for proposals.
"At this point I guess we don't know. And until we actually issue the [request for proposal] and see what type of response we get, we really don't know," Scott told CBC News.
The RCMP says it's aware the municipality will seek proposals for policing and says it will review the request.
"We are confident our employees provide excellent service to the residents of Cumberland County," RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay told CBC News in an email.
Narrative Research of Halifax was hired to manage consultations in August and reported back to the committee in October. There were public meetings in Parrsboro, Pugwash, River Hebert, Springhill and Upper Nappan, an online survey and one-on-one stakeholder meetings as well as social media, radio and newspaper advertising.
Scott, a former police officer, said he understands citizens are concerned and need to feel safe.
"I also believe it is our responsibility as elected officials to listen and respond to those concerns," Scott said in the release.
Any final decision around the request for proposals and the future of policing in the Municipality of Cumberland will be
decided by council, the municipality noted in its news release.
Amherst is excluded because it has its own police force and Oxford has its own RCMP detachment.
With files from Haley Ryan