District of Squamish is planning to hire two part-time clerical staff to ensure full weekend coverage of the ‘cell block and prisoner maintenance’ at the local RCMP detachment.
The clerks will also be able to assist with other RCMP systems when not guarding the cells.
The current casually scheduled guard system often results in RCMP members guarding prisoners when staff isn’t available, the district says.
Population growth in Squamish continues to increase the demand for police information checks, fingerprinting, non-emergency phone calls and walk-in customers, the district adds.
The decision, yet to be made, would cost $76,900.
The detachment clerks can also assist with updating and maintaining record and fleet maintenance and supplies, and provide transcript support, among other things.
The district also plans to hire arborists to manage dangerous trees on municipal property.
“Due to development and on-going tree clearing, the forest canopy is becoming more broken which increases the wind loading on individual trees causing them to break off, fall down and become dangerous,” the district says.
The district is planning to hire a second Deputy Fire Chief. The hiring is part of service-level change planned by the district, although the position has yet to be approved by council.
The cost to the tax-payers will be $111,600.
