RCMP PULLS ITS OFFICERS FROM DELTA POLICE'S DRUG SECTION

Members reassigned as federal force snaps two decade relationship

A long-standing commitment by the federal government to aid municipal
police departments in drug enforcement is coming to an end.

Delta police chief Jim Cessford has confirmed the RCMP will pull its two
officers who now work in the Delta police's drug section. Cessford was told
the officers will be reassigned to other divisions within the federal law
enforcement agency.

Under the federal drug mandate, the RCMP has funded two positions in the
drug unit in Delta since 1978.

"We have two excellent members who are a big part of our team and to lose
them will hurt us," Cessford said. "I'm not happy about it."

Cessford said in order to fully staff the drug unit, the department will
now have to fund the two positions.

The chief said he was told by an RCMP inspector the federal agency is
short-staffed and can no longer assign officers to municipal police
departments, even though the Mounties have a mandate to enforce federal
drug laws.

Mayor Lois Jackson, a strong proponent of the drug section's work in
breaking down indoor marijuana growing operations, is not impressed. She
likens the pull-out to federal government downloading.

"I don't know how much more the feds can pull out of the West Coast," she
said. "If anything, we need more police officers, we don't need less, and
I'm prepared to go to the wire on that."

Jackson said she will write to the federal justice minister voicing her
opposition to the loss of the RCMP officers.

It's not just the loss of the two members that bothers acting S/Sgt. John
Robin, who supervises the criminal investigation branch, including the drug
section. "We're losing their experience and the connection to their
resources in a time when we're having a lot of success. You only have to
look at the statistics."

Fully supported by Delta council and the Delta police board, the drug unit,
made up of two Delta officers and an RCMP corporal and constable, seized
$15 million in marijuana last year. The unit conducted 99 searches,
arrested 116 people and along the way seized cocaine, heroin, weapons and
gathered intelligence on organized criminal groups operating on an
international level.

"It's a step back for us and we're not very happy about it," Robin said.

Last month, the New Westminster police department lost the two RCMP members
assigned to its drug section. New West S/Sgt. Casey Dehaas said the
department has had to replace them with two of its own officers, which
reverberates down the line.

"We've had the RCMP members here for 20-plus years," he said.

RCMP media liaison officer Cpl. Grant Learned said the federal force has
had to make tough choices. Municipal departments and politicians are
understandably upset, especially when the system has worked so well,
Learned said. He added, however, the decision was not made lightly.

"We've not lost any members in the overall fight against drugs. The
officers are being redeployed to other drug-related units that currently
have a higher priority," he said.