Posted:
Statement by Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella
Today, Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella released the following statement:
“I am releasing this statement today to share facts related to staffing issues within Halifax Regional Police, concerted efforts related to talent attraction and recruitment, and above all, to state that HRP and its members remain resourced, trained and laser-focused on the public safety response for our community.
“For the past four years, we have been stepping up in multi-faceted ways to tackle the staffing challenges, which are not unique to Halifax, but are impacting the policing profession in Halifax, across Nova Scotia, Canada and beyond. HRP management recognizes the concern of the Halifax Regional Police Association (HRPA), and, is working on these issues with them directly. Along with the Interim President and other executive members of the HRPA, leadership representatives from HRM Human Resources and Administration, our collective team is taking these issues seriously, delivering solutions and making measurable progress.
“During a very challenging time in the society and the negative narrative on policing, the Board of Police Commissioners and HRM Council’s collective foresight and focus on public safety led to the approval of 16.5 new members to our authorized strength after over a decade of no increases, 14 of which are sworn positions. Psychological services and other member supports have been approved in the most recent budgets to support the psychological health and well-being needs of the members along with various other supports that currently exist.
“Since the beginning of 2019, 121 members have left the organization due to retirements, resignations and other reasons. During the same time, 137 sworn members have been brought on, which includes 26 cadets who are graduating next week to become police officers with HRP. Due to unique circumstances from year to year, there will be some years that have a higher number of departures compared to the number we gain; however, we have a long-term strategy that we are focused on delivering to ensure that our capacity needs continue to be met during these short and long-term challenges.
“In recent months, as a result of competing recruitment efforts, we are seeing both an influx of members to HRP from other policing services as well some of our members who are leaving for other opportunities. And though projections for HRP members eligible to retire remain high, the addition of 26 members next week graduating from our in-house cadet program and the ongoing and consistent addition of experienced police officers, we will also add a substantial number. We expect to launch our next cadet class in preparation for continuing our annual recruitment drives into future years - something that has been an unprecedented, positive undertaking at HRP.
“After a period of lower frequency of training during COVID-19, training has been ramping up to not only meet but exceed levels we have seen in the organization before. Encouraging conversations have taken place with HRM recently that would further bolster our training capacity as well as our ability to offer training more frequently. There will however always be constraints related to seniority and organizational needs as governed by the collective agreement that we must continue to respect.
“It’s important to bear in mind that the current challenges are not simply a Halifax issue – but what HRP takes very seriously is being prepared. Police recruitment, attrition and staffing are currently a nation-wide issue. At the same time, unlike previous years, because of severe officer shortages across Nova Scotia and Canada, officers have an opportunity for movement depending on their chosen lifestyle and professional goals in a way that hasn’t existed before. As the society recovers from several highly stressful years, police officers are no exception. Every agency has its own unique attractions. Some will be attracted to federal policing and the opportunity to work in other parts of the country; some are making the choice to move to roles in other communities or to be close to their families.
“What Halifax offers is being a hub in Atlantic Canada, a region and an agency that has a proud, centuries old history of service, one that offers complexity and an incredible opportunity to learn and work in a place officers can call home. HRP is recognized throughout the country for its training, attractive compensation and for its location in a world class city.
“Notably, our dual-policing model in Halifax means that HRP and RCMP are here for each other at a moment’s notice when help is needed. That happens on an everyday basis, where our members support and back up each other as necessary.
“The most important point I want to make for the residents of HRM is while there are issues related to staffing, we remain focused on the maintenance and enhancement of public safety in all its aspects. To be clear, HRP has the capacity to respond to calls with the right number of officers deployed based on our priority response model. Whether it is policing during the COVID challenges, series of Truck Convoy events, keeping the community safe during hundreds and hundreds of events that take place in Halifax, we have been and we are here to keep you safe.”