Giving carbines to peace officers could be step toward N.B. police force, minister suggests

New Brunswick wildlife officers and other inspection and enforcement officers with the Department of Justice and Public Safety will soon be armed with carbines and Tasers, and wearing body cameras, in what could be a first step toward a provincial police force.

Public Safety Minister Kris Austin announced the new "tools" on Thursday.

"The RCMP is the New Brunswick provincial police force, but this initiative will not only keep officers safe, it also supports increased law enforcement capacity within the province," he said in a statement.

Asked in an interview Friday whether this could be a prelude to a new provincial force, Austin didn't say no.

"I've said from day one, since I was sworn into cabinet, all options are on the table," he said, and the province still isn't sure of the federal government's plans for the RCMP and local policing long term.

"So you know there's a multitude of reasons why this is a necessary step.

"It's all in an effort to ensure that our department is ready for the task at hand now, and as well, should directions change, that we have those assets for a new direction, if that's one that is determined down the road."

Carbines, used by the RCMP, are semi-automatic, short-barrelled rifles that have a longer and more accurate range than pistols or shotguns. 

The announcement comes amid unrest with RCMP services in rural areas across the province.

The mayor of Saint Andrews has said public confidence in policing in his region is "at an all-time low," while some communities, such as Fundy Shores and Eastern Charlotte, are exploring their policing options.

Austin said the performance of the department's peace officers over the past three years has been "impressive and showed that they can do more to support police."

The province has also seen an increase in crime and an increase in heavier-calibre weapons being seized, he said.

"We have to ensure that our officers have the tools they need to be able to match those threats in a worst-case scenario."

Austin declined to say under what type of circumstances a wildlife officer, for example, would use a carbine, or describe a scenario where one might have proven been useful in the past.