Moncton plans new police station

Moncton City Council wants to build a new police station and reclaim the region's 911 dispatch centre from neighbouring Dieppe.

The Codiac RCMP's main station is nearly 30 years old. Its cramped quarters hold RCMP officers and 911 call centre operators but there's no room for expansion and not even enough room for everyone to park their cars.

Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton says the police need a new building. "The staff, they're not working in very good quarters right now. In fact, they're very, very poor quarters."

The building is so crowded that last month, the policing authority decided to move the 911 centre to Dieppe. Moncton council reluctnantly agreed to put the operators in the Dieppe fire station, for now.

Coun. Brian Hicks says with a new building, there's no reason why the centre can't come back. "I really feel this is a monetary issue. The Codiac RCMP board does not have the jurisdiction to say where this is going to go," Hicks said. "This is a monetary issue that has to be ratified by each council. Moncton City Council said tonight in no uncertain terms that they view this just as a temporary move."

Moncton's city manager will look into the possibility of a new police station. He is to consult with city staff and police officials and report back to council in three months.