A new unit bringing together the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) and the RCMP in an attempt to tackle serious crime got a $1-million boost Friday
Premier Kathy Dunderdale, flanked by police officers and fellow politicians, made the funding announcement just days ahead of the government’s 2013 budget, which will be tabled in the House of Assembly Tuesday.
“As a government, we are committed to providing the necessary resources for our outstanding police organizations to ensure the safety of our citizens is protected,” Dunderdale said.
“Working from a dedicated office, members from both the RNC and the RCMP will devote their attention to specific cases while sharing and maximizing the considerable experience and expertise of both organizations.”
Tracy Hardy, commanding officer for the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador, called the new joint venture with the RNC a “collaboration at its finest.”
The new unit will take on child exploitation and drugs.
“What we’re going to do here is bring our resources together, but we’re going to be more efficient and effective. We’re dealing with organized crime,” said RNC Chief Robert Johnson.
“People involved with organized crime don’t adhere to jurisdictions or borders, and the closer that the RCMP and the RNC and other agencies throughout Canada work together, the better we’re going to be able to combat organized crime and people who are involved in organized crime.”
Dunderdale told reporters that Newfoundland and Labrador isn’t as safe as it once was and the government needs to work harder with police to fight crime.
“We hear almost every day how important broadband is, for example, to people here in our province, whether it’s for social media, for business or industry and so on, and there are a lot of good things that come from that, but there's a dark side to that as well,” she said.
“That’s just one of the realities of life, and that’s one of the things that we have to contend with.”
jmcleod@thetelegram.com
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