MEDIA RELEASE: Cape Breton Regional Police Officers Raise Concerns Over Public Safety

Sydney, N.S. – The Cape Breton Regional Police force is facing a critical shortage of staff putting officer and public safety at risk, says NSGEU President Sandra Mullen.

“The shortage of police officers in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality has reached a critical tipping point,” said Mullen. “The average police shift is working anywhere between 30-40% short-handed, putting increased strain on an already strained work force.”

The CBRM just completed their annual recruitment fair, which is a positive step to addressing the staffing shortages in the police department. However, the number of recruits does not meet the demand and officers are concerned that public safety could be put at-risk.

“Our members are working an incredible amount of overtime just to keep officers on the street. With summer vacations around the corner and officer burnout on the rise members are telling us they are worried about how these shortages will impact their safety and the safety of the public,” said Mullen.

“Sooner or later our luck is going to run out and something serious is going to happen. No one wants that and the union is ready to work with CBRM and the police force to find solutions for both the short and long term.”

Officers on the ground tell the union there are fewer active officers on the job today than there was just three years ago.

“Our members are working incredibly hard, taking on as much overtime as they can to support each other and keep communities safe,” said Mullen. “Our members are worried what the next few months will bring and are looking for some concrete plans to ensure officer and public safety is protected moving forward.”

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The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union represents nearly 36,000 workers who provide quality public services Nova Scotians count on every day.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with NSGEU President Sandra Mullen, please contact:

Lucas Wide, NSGEU Communications Officer,

902-483-0662 (cell)

lwide@nsgeu.ca

You can read the news stories here:

CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/police-union-raising-alarm-over-staffing-in-cbrm-1.6881727

CTV: https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/cape-breton-police-officer-shortage-leaves-most-shifts-shorthanded-union-1.6447575