Thompson’s Community Safety Officer program is on track to return to full strength this fall, after staffing shortages had paused patrols in the northern Manitoba city.
Deputy Mayor Louis Fitzpatrick says an experienced CSO was hired in July, and a former officer has come back to the department. Several more interviews have been conducted, and all four positions could be filled by this fall. New hires would still need to finish training in November.
The program provides an added layer of neighbourhood presence and response. CSOs handle about 30 percent of the roughly 4,000 disturbance calls Thompson RCMP receives each year, saving an estimated 1,600 RCMP member hours annually.
Earlier this year, patrols were effectively suspended because only one active CSO was available and officers must work in pairs due to the potentially dangerous nature of the job. A second officer was on leave until July.
The City of Thompson started the CSO program in May 2016 as Manitoba’s first such initiative. Officers have peace officer status and authority under six provincial statutes, including the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act, Highway Traffic Act, and Mental Health Act.
In addition to restoring the CSO roster, Thompson launched a new Crime Suppression Unit in mid-June with $250,000 in provincial funding. That team includes four RCMP officers and four CSOs focused on serious crimes and safety in the downtown core.
