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‘It’s huge for us’: Two new officers for Sussex
November 16, 2023 By Andrew Bates, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Nov. 16, 2023, Sussex, N.B. – Two of the 51 new RCMP officers announced by the province will be headed to the Sussex detachment, with another for the southwest.
In April, Public Safety Minister Kris Austin delivered $20.5 million to the New Brunswick RCMP to hire 80 more officers, with 51 of those earmarked for the frontlines, part of a $52.4-million increase to his department’s budget to address the province’s crime rate. Austin said that the RCMP would be deciding where to send the new officers, and Brunswick News learned Friday that the RCMP had contacted the regional service commissions to inform them of the allocations.
“I think any announcement of more officers in our service area is good news,” Sussex Mayor Marc Thorne said in an email Tuesday. “I don’t think the public will experience things differently, but I do believe the officers in our detachment will certainly appreciate the added help.”
Sussex RCMP Sgt. Luc Samson said “it’s huge for us” to get two new frontline officers.
“I know two doesn’t sound like a lot in the grand scheme of things, but for a small detachment like ours, that’s huge,” he said, adding that the provincial funding also funds units like internet child exploitation and explosive response. “All this alleviates a lot of the pressure on us … we can do a lot more community-involved policing.”
Thorne said the added officers will reduce stress for those already at the detachment.
“Police work is stressful and can take a toll both mentally and physically so when officers are on leave, the stress increases on those on active duty,” he said. “I know the new officers will ease this stress and I appreciate and look forward to their arrival.”
Samson, the sergeant for Grand Bay-Westfield, is currently seconded to Sussex as he said the last sergeant had been promoted up. He said the search for a replacement is ongoing.
– Telegraph-Journal
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