Moncton city council has given the green light for enhanced training for its community safety officers in anticipation of an upcoming expansion of their authority by the New Brunswick government. The council members unanimously approved an expenditure of $80,000 on Monday to facilitate training sessions scheduled for this autumn at the Atlantic Police Academy. The training curriculum will encompass various subjects such as criminal law, proper use of force, and de-escalation techniques.
Mayor Shawn Crossman expressed confidence that the provincial authorities will soon endorse the city’s longstanding plea to authorize its community safety officers as peace officers. If approved, this change could empower the officers to carry additional equipment like handcuffs, detain individuals, and enforce provincial statutes such as the Mental Health Act and Trespass Act. The specific powers and gear for the officers are still under deliberation by city officials.
Crossman emphasized that the presence of these officers in the community will enhance security and visibility. The mayor highlighted the objective of having community officers handle certain calls related to trespassing or mental health issues, relieving some of the burden on Codiac Regional RCMP and enabling a quicker response to incidents.
Charles LeBlanc, Moncton’s director of bylaw enforcement, noted that the training program approved on Monday aligns with the anticipated requirements set by the Public Safety minister for designating city community safety officers as special constables. Under the Police Act, special constables possess the authority of a peace officer.
LeBlanc clarified that while Moncton’s community safety officers have undergone a one-year police foundations program and some have previous police experience, they will not possess the full scope of authority or firearms as regular police officers.
The training sessions are scheduled to take place in Moncton over the coming months, with the curriculum developed based on a similar program in St. John’s, N.L., as no such program existed in New Brunswick. The initiative places Moncton at the forefront of municipalities in the province seeking this designation. The funding for the training will be sourced from a council contingency fund, which had a balance of $624,000 before the recent council meeting.
