LOCAL DRUG SECTION OFFICERS ON THE MOVE?

TRURO - Truro may be losing its RCMP drug section and the police
officers who come with it to other parts of Nova Scotia, says
Brooke Taylor.

The Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley MLA said he has heard rumours the
federal section of the RCMP's Prince Street office will be closed and
the seven officers redeployed to other jurisdictions, possibly Halifax
or Sydney. He said other rumours have the two customs and excise
officers and possibly major crime unit being redeployed as well.

He said the rumours have circulated in communities he serves for a
couple of weeks and "it's becoming more pronounced." Taylor sent a
letter to the RCMP's Ian Atkins Wednesday asking him to either confirm
or deny the information.

"I sense there are plans in the works," Taylor said Wednesday. "The
strong rumour is they're going to redeploy these folks."

Taylor would not say who his source is but he believes it to be very
credible.

"I wouldn't have sent a letter off to the assistant commissioner if I
didn't have it on good source and authority," he said.

Dan Tanner, the RCMP's officer in charge of federal policing in Nova
Scotia, said he could not comment, other than to say any use of
federal resources within the RCMP would be a decision made by the RCMP.

Taylor said the officers do a lot of great work and he does not want
to see them go.

"We don't want to see an area that has been previously well served
under-supervised or unsupervised. I don't think it would be the
latter, but it's a concern," he said.

The MLA added if other areas need extra officers it should not come at
the expense of other communities.

"I think you'll find it's a monetary thing ... It has more to do with
Ottawa not wanting to fund more police officers," he said.

"Who's going to fill the void that would be created here ...? For
Pete's sake what we need to do is get more personnel if there's a need."