*This petition is meant for the residents of the north end of the Municipality of North Cowichan.  Please sign it if you work in, or are resident in the affected area.*

In 1998, the towns of Chemainus and Crofton and the rest of the north end of the municipality were promised 2 police officers on patrol 24 hours a day when the former Chemainus Detachment was closed in favour of amalgamation with the North Cowichan/Duncan Detachment.  This promise to north end residents in the affected area was made as a concession to the very high opposition to the closure.  A north zone perimeter was established to include all of the north end of the municipality extending to Herd Rd. In the south.  This increased the patrol area of the former Chemainus Detachment from the previous south end perimeter of Mays Rd. on Hwy 1, and Escarpment Way on Osborne Bay Rd. which was deemed another acceptable concession.

The promised policing levels were short lived, when the 8 police officers who were promised to continue patrolling the former detachment area were continually drawn away to assist in policing the south end. As a result, the former Chemainus detachment area became a rural patrol, where police officers are no longer familiar to, or familiar with the residents of the north end of the municipality.

Response times to incidents of serious concern is inadequate in the eyes of many north end residents. Citizens have become reluctant to call for assistance.  As a consequence, crimes go unreported. The population growth of the former detachment area has been significant over the past 20 years with the development of former vacant property into higher valued residences, which provides a substantially increased tax base for the municipality. This growth has seen a greater demand for police services.

The Chemainus Detachment, in the Public Safety Building, was built to accommodate 8 police officers and is perfectly adequate for use as a “North Zone” office for members dedicated to policing the former detachment area, having been occupied since 2000 by the South Island Highway Patrol. 

To instill the confidence of the residents of Chemainus and Crofton in their police force, and to respond to their policing concerns, the promises made 23 years ago must be honoured.

The police station in Chemainus, will be abandoned by South Island Hwy Patrol when they move to new police facility being constructed on Drinkwater Rd. The former Chemainus Detachment must be returned to its rightful use as a zone policing office for residents of the north end, with North Cowichan/Duncan members assigned there for periods of time sufficient to become known to the residents; where they can become the trusted community members they once were.  There must be office personnel occupying the building during appropriate business hours and police personnel working out of that building 7 days a week, providing patrol coverage, at least equal to that provided 23 years ago, and which the Mayor and Council promised to enhance.  The police officers assigned to the former detachment area must be committed to policing the north zone "only”, without being drawn into the south end, where they would, once again, become unavailable to the residents of Chemainus and Crofton in a timely manner.

The Mayor and Council of North Cowichan, and the Officer in Charge of the North Cowichan/Duncan R.C.M.P. are being petitioned to fulfil the promises made to the taxpayers of the north end.