The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Justice:

Minister Recognizes National Police Week

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize National Police Week which runs until May 18. This occasion provides us with an opportunity to acknowledge the valuable work performed by policing services, and to promote awareness of law enforcement and the community working together to provide a safe and secure province for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Throughout National Police Week, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police organize and take part in activities to increase awareness of the services they provide. To coincide with this, we encourage the public to work in partnership with police services by reporting crimes to assist in creating safe, positive communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.

To officially launch National Police Week this morning, I had the great pleasure of attending a cake-cutting ceremony with officials of the RCMP and the RNC at Holy Cross Junior High. I would like to thank everyone who was involved for making this a special event for all who attended.

Every year, May 15 is recognized as International Police and Peace Officer Memorial Day and to honour those officers who have died in the line of duty, a service will be held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in St. John’s on Wednesday morning.

Mr. Speaker, this government has made significant investments in recent years in policing services throughout the province. Since 2004 we have invested approximately $920 million in the RCMP and the RNC and we have seen more than 140 new officers added to the system. The total annual policing budget has increased by approximately $50 million.

This year, we demonstrated our continued commitment to dealing with the criminal element by investing $1 million through Budget 2013 to create a new provincial Task Force on Child Exploitation and Drugs. The team is a joint effort between the RCMP and the RNC to strengthen the fight against child exploitation, illegal drugs and organized crime in the province.

In Newfoundland and Labrador and across the country, members of our law enforcement services make sacrifices in their personal lives and often face difficult and dangerous situations. I ask all Honourable Members to join me in thanking all members of the RNC and the RCMP for the work they do each and every day. We are very proud of their accomplishments, and fully supportive of their efforts.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2013 05 13             1:55 p.m.