Despite rumours, Kensington mayor says town's police service not going anywhere

Questions have been swirling among Kensington residents about the future of town's police service, and they've prompted the mayor to speak out in support of the department.

As budget pressures ramp up for many Prince Edward Island municipalities, some are looking at where they can make cuts. In Kensington, just east of Summerside, that's led to some questions from residents as the town looks at cost-saving.

Kensington Mayor Jeff Spencer said some councillors have wondered about other options for policing in the town, including the RCMP. 

“Council does recognize that the Kensington Police Service has a very strong reputation, an important role in our community. And I think that I speak for all of council that they do value their service,” Spencer said.

“I certainly would always want to have that level of service they provide and the community involvement that they give back.”

Kensington is one of the few municipalities in the province with its own police service — Summerside and Charlottetown are the only other places with their own agencies — while the rest of P.E.I. is covered by the RCMP.

The department is also one of Kensington's largest expenses at nearly 20 per cent of its annual budget.

Spencer said any major change to the town's department would involve public consultations and a lengthy process months before a decision would be made. He said there is no change planned for this year.

“I wouldn't say that there are necessarily changes coming,” he said. “We just recognize that the cost of everything is going up, and really it's responsible for the council to just look at where cost opportunities may lie.”

Spencer didn't rule out cuts across departments, including police service, but said those wouldn't reduce the number of officers. He said it could involve looking at things like overtime.

Kensington police Chief Landon Yuill said members of the force had been hearing rumours “at the grocery store, at the gas station” about the future of policing in the town, but he said it's up to council to answer those questions. 

He spoke of the department’s deep ties in the community and said officers feel supported by residents. He noted a special bond the department has with residents. 

“We try to embed ourselves as part of the community. I think my idea of policing isn't just enforcement, but it's being a friendly face when somebody needs a hand,” Yuill said.

“I think we'd be the envy of a lot of communities, just that we're always there. You know, they're used to seeing us.”