Looks like the plan to turn Sheriffs into traffic cops is all but dead
That pilot project had the exact effect the province wanted it to have. It’s a strange coincidence that the idea of a pilot project came at the exact same time that the Province is negotiating a new contract with the RCMP. A nice little way to stir up the RCMP and have a tool to use at the negotiating table. Sheriffs are understaffed in every location in the Province right now. Budgets are being cut back, not expanded. The Province is broke. No WAY they were ever serious about expanding the Sheriffs duties.
Not surprisingly, the Judges were also in a twist about this. They have always seemed to think that they own the Sheriffs. They don’t. There are indeed a shortage of Sheriffs and it does lead to courts closing. The amount of court time lost due to improper scheduling, and lawyers manipulating the system is literally 100 times any delays caused by a Sheriff not being available. Judges and lawyers have always treated Sheriffs like they are just another tool of the court. “Break glass in case of emergency”. They get quite indignant when one isn’t available at thier whim.