Imagine if the faculty of Science said to the University of Victoria that they did not want to share in any increased cost of campus security so they could keep tuition costs down. Then, when they think of it more, they realize that:
1. Any past security problems have not been in their buildings but on other areas of campus
2. They could hire another company to provide the service they think they need at a reduced cost.
3. So they decide to go on their own with respect to campus security.
The fact that the University as a whole would not save any money, if the one area backs out, does not affect the faculty of Science as they are able to keep the costs down for their own students.
The safety of the Science students, when they are outside of the faculty buildings is of course an issue for others, perhaps the Science students would be well advised to just not leave the Science buildings.
Seems silly does it not? In fact seems plainly illogical. However this is exactly what we have in Victoria and it is getting worse.
On May 8, 2010 Esquimalt is reported to say that they do not want to pay for any increased costs of Policing. In fact it’s even suggested that Esquimalt should contract out their policing, which likely takes us back to the days before those two loan municipalities were told to merge the police.
This is such a poor use of political and staff time. You have the City of Victoria writing to Esquimalt and the Province, audits being undertaken of Esquimalt policing, each municipality meeting with the police board and with each other. You have two groups fighting to control the police.
Clearly, there should be one city controlling one police department. Perhaps in the region there will be three cities controlling three police departments. Whatever the final result, the insanity of the arguments over policing should compel the province to act. They cannot just amalgamate the police, which we need. They would then be torn asunder by the different regional masters. They must amalgamate the region.
Or, do you think, if Esquimalt is right, we should divide Saanich into five cities? Then each pocket can decide what kind of service they want to pay for. The criminals would appreciate it.
