New Westminster now has 12 new reserve constables.
The police department hosted a ceremony at city hall recently to celebrate the 12 reserve constables, the first in the city since the program was phased out in 2000.
Under the former program, the reserve constables were armed and their primary function was to provide additional support to the operational policing system under the supervision of full-time police officers.
The new provincially regulated reserve constable program, which is what the 12 graduates completed, is designed for community volunteers who will not be armed and whose primary role is to participate in community policing activities related to public safety and crime prevention.
The 12 reserve constables will perform community-focused duties. They will also provide the police department and the community with the opportunity to coordinate, facilitate and implement community policing and crime prevention programs in areas that may not currently have the necessary community infrastructure.
The reserve constables' family members and members of the public attended the ceremony.
