Police chiefs lobby province for organized crime funds

The New Brunswick government will have to decide soon whether to start paying for an initiative to fight organized crime as federal funding is set to expire at the end of March.

For the last four years, the federal government has spent $9 million in New Brunswick to pay for officers who are targeting criminal gangs.

The federal infusion of cash has allowed New Brunswick to hire 21 RCMP and municipal police officers.

Those police officers arepart of a provincial unit dedicated to stopping biker gangs or others associated with organized crime. An additional five officers have specialized in shutting down properties used in the drug or sex trades.

Bill Reid, the police chief in Saint John and president of the New Brunswick Police Chiefs Association, said the two units have allowed police forces across the province to coordinate their efforts.

"We work together because it's integrated," he said.

"So whatever happens in one part of the province can certainly be supported in other parts of the province."

Since the program, Reid said, these officers have targeted 40 individuals or groups who have links with organized crime.

Reid said he's been lobbying the provincial government to cover the additional officers that were funded by the federal cash.

"They've listened to us, we've talked about our successes, we've talked about the future where we're going with these units and how they absolutely concentrate on organized and serious crime in our province," he said.

A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Robert Trevors said the minister will not do interviews about the province's plans.

The departmental spokesperson said the police and the public will find out in the budget if the program will continue.

Finance Minister Blaine Higgs is expected to reveal his budget later this month.