The Victoria Police Department’s ongoing withdrawal from regional services is a calculated move to highlight the need for a single police force in Greater Victoria, says a former solicitor general.

Kash Heed said he believes the Victoria department is making a statement: If the province won’t set up a regional force, it’s going to start looking out for itself.

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“I can see several things being played, but a lot of it’s political,” he said.

The Victoria Police Department announced this week that it would no longer send its canine team to assist outside jurisdictions, with the exception of Saanich. The department will send a canine team to another jurisdiction only if it’s a matter of life and death.

Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin denied that the move is a political statement.

“The changes to the canine unit have nothing to do with our position on regionalization and have everything to do with ensuring our residents and taxpayers receive the best policing and greatest value possible for their tax dollars,” Fortin said in an email.

“Victoria and Esquimalt can’t afford to provide regional police services on its own. If that draws attention to the regional needs, that’s fine, but that’s not the intent of this change.”

The announcement follows moves by the Victoria department to withdraw from the Regional Crime Unit and reduce its participation in the Regional Domestic Violence Unit. The department is also on record advocating the amalgamation of the region’s seven police departments and detachments.

Heed said the provincial government continues to trumpet the benefits of police integration, in which standalone departments contribute officers to regional units. But there is no legislation or regulations that force departments to participate, he said.

The result is a “Band-Aid” approach in which units form and collapse at the whim of mayors and police chiefs, said Heed, former chief of the West Vancouver Police Department and a strong advocate of a single regional police force.

“There’s not one person you can hold responsible,” he said.

“If a chief in one area doesn’t like what’s going on, he can just pull his services out of that. Ultimately, at the end of the day, the community loses.”

Heed noted that integration is regressing in the capital region and said the government is “not delivering an efficient, effective and accountable police service to British Columbia.”

Justice Minister Suzanne Anton issued a statement reaffirming her support for police integration.

“I am told that police agencies in the capital region continue to work on an integrated service delivery model for police dog services — and have the day-to-day canine resources they need and can access other teams if needed,” she said.

“This is consistent with Police Act requirements to share resources in response to requests for temporary assistance, and I am confident VicPD will adhere to it.”

Victoria’s decision to restrict use of its canine unit will mostly affect West Shore RCMP, which calls on help from Victoria police much more than it reciprocates.

According to Victoria police statistics, of the total of 397 deployments in 2013, 85 were outside Victoria and Esquimalt.

Saanich called for canine assistance 38 times and West Shore RCMP asked for canine help 31 times. Sidney/North Saanich RCMP called on Victoria’s canine team nine times.

In turn, RCMP sent canine assistance to Victoria just a handful of times in 2013, according to sources.

West Shore RCMP has two dog teams and there are eight more dog teams in RCMP detachments across Vancouver Island, said Island district spokesman Cpl. Darren Lagan.

Police chiefs across Greater Victoria are talking about the possibility of an integrated police canine unit, Lagan said.

“In the meantime, all communities within the CRD remain adequately resourced to ensure the highest degree of public safety,” he said.

Langford Mayor Stew Young said he acknowledges Victoria police might be making a statement, but it’s one he said might open up the dialogue about how police resources are shared across municipal borders.

“It may be a statement from a police department or a politician but when there’s a need, we will share,” Young said.

“The co-operation is still there, this doesn’t disappear,” and front-line officers “are not going to draw lines in the sand.”

Young added: “If any of these changes to the Regional Crime Unit or the canine unit leaves a shortfall anywhere [in the West Shore], I can tell you we’re going to be filling it right away.”

kderosa@timescolonist.com

lkines@timescolonist.com