‘Extra duty’ policy made public amid concerns about Halifax Regional Police officers working at private businesses
Halifax Canada October 7 2022 The Halifax police commission has released details of its “extra duty” policy amid concerns around officers working security at private businesses.
Police representatives told commissioners at a meeting Wednesday evening that extra duty services have been longstanding in Halifax and across the country.
But policies governing the practice were only made available on the police commission website after concerns were raised when armed Halifax Regional Police officers in uniform were seen at places such as Superstore and the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission.
HRP officers must wear full uniform and carry equipment including firearms as they would normally do for regular policing, Chief Dan Kinsella told the commission.
“Generally private businesses that hire them have some sort of compelling reason to have the police. Either violence has occurred or something of that nature where they feel that the presence of a police officer will be a deterrent to the extent that potential criminality may not occur because the officer is there,” he said.
Kinsella said HRP has a special events unit dedicated to evaluating requests for special services, assigning officers for the work and monitoring for things such as possible conflicts of interest.
There’s such a high demand for extra duty services that some requests cannot be met, Kinsella said.
In response to a question from HRM Coun. Lindell Smith on how much money is generated through the program, Kinsella didn’t provide a specific figure but said a full accounting could be provided to the commission.
“Generally private businesses that hire them have some sort of compelling reason to have the police.”
Besides the pay to officers – which is reportedly about $80 an hour – there are administrative fees related to things such as use of a vehicle. That money is put back into upkeep and maintenance, Kinsella said.
Unlike Halifax Regional Police, the Mounties do not offer nor provide extra duty service beyond overtime for regular patrol and investigation work. For example, they would not provide security at special events or private businesses.
“When we’re talking extra duty employment in the RCMP it’s essentially extra duty employment would simply mean you’re performing your regular role except perhaps you’re doing it on an overtime capacity,” RCMP Insp. Jeremie Landry told the commission.
“For example, if there was a shortage on a watch that required us to bring in additional officers, that would form part of the extra duty employment where they’d be compensated at an overtime rate for their role.”
But both Mounties and HRP officers can work in areas outside of policing, known as off-duty service, in which they don’t wear a uniform and are not armed. This work can be wide-ranging, from driving hearses to working as DJs, the commission was told. Requests from officers to do off-duty work must be approved by superiors.
The commission did not address concerns expressed by citizens about the appropriateness of armed police officers working in places such as grocery stores.
But Kinsella said both the off- and extra-duty policies were adopted in 2020 and need to be updated.
“They are fairly robust, they do need some refreshing.”
