Returning to a standalone Esquimalt police force would be cost-prohibitive, complex and challenging, says a municipal staff report based on a study by a consultant. But it could be feasible if the force contracted out specialized services such as forensics, detention and major crimes investigations, the report says.
It would also require spending on new or refurbished police facilities, hiring a minimum of 25 officers in a time of significant officer shortages, and facing potential legal challenges from unions over successor rights in policing work. A joint police-fire department that was established in 1912 provided policing services in Esquimalt prior to 2003, when the force was folded into the Victoria police. The township has complained for years, however, that it was paying more than its fair share of costs for the VicPD, prompting it to hire consultants to study alternative policing service options