Steinbach says no to cost-sharing dedicated RCMP officer for SRSS

Steinbach City Council is willing to approve the Hanover School Division's request for a dedicated RCMP officer but the division will need to foot the bill. 

The HSD sent the request to council this past Thursday asking that the City of Steinbach cover some of the costs associated with the proposal. 

Then, on Tuesday, Councillor Michael Zwaagstra made the following motion: 

"The City of Steinbach approve the request from the Hanover School Division to request an additional officer, subject to two conditions. Condition one, the Hanover School Division cover 100 percent of the officer cost and condition two, that the Hanover School Division enter into a long-term funding agreement with the city that would be drafted by city administration."

Zwaagstra says school boards can’t enter directly into contracts with the RCMP as that is the municipality's duty so this type of request has to come through the city. He notes the request itself makes sense. 

"I understand the reasons why they would be making it. It is not uncommon for schools to have a police presence and, obviously, with the SRSS being a large school, we have a significant number of students and by sheer numbers you are likely to have more incidents."

However, Zwaagstra says the proposed funding structure is a sticking point. 

"The City of Steinbach, under their proposal, would be paying two-thirds of the cost which is not an arrangement that I would consider to be acceptable."

For clarity, the HSD is proposing the officer work at the SRSS full-time during any school day in which students are in attendance. This comes out to somewhere between 180 and 185 days or approximately 70 percent of the year. They then propose the officer could be used by the City of Steinbach for the rest of the year.  

With this breakdown, the city would be expected to pay 50 percent of salary and benefits for 70 percent of the year and all of the salary and benefits for the remaining 30 percent. 

Councillor Jac Siemens seconded Zwaagstra’s motion noting "I think there is a need, they have asked for it. I also know that many of the students at the SRSS do not come from the City of Steinbach and I agree that the cost should be borne by the school division."

Siemens adds "I am disappointed that this letter was out in the press before we had an opportunity to sit down with the Hanover School Division to speak to this issue, whether through our Police Advisory Committee or through city council. But, be that as it may, it is before council and we do need to respond and I appreciate this response." 

Mayor Earl Funk says he too believes it is important that the school division covers 100 percent of the costs associated with a full-time officer. 

"They do talk about off times being a benefit to us but when you have days off and holidays in there, there is not a lot of time that is going to come back to the city." 

Council backed the motion unanimously.