A Prince George lawyer is expressing relief at the province's decision to restore funding for auxiliary and part-time courtroom sheriffs.
The government had cut what amounted to 34 full-time sheriff positions in late May and the move sparked heated protest from the B.C. Government Employees Union (BCGEU) and led to some judges delaying or halting trials across the province after citing safety concerns.
There were no reported problems in Prince George, where the hours of two part-time sheriffs had been cut by seven hours a week, but lawyer Harris Johnsen, who is the northern B.C. representative on the Trial Lawyers Association of B.C., said the safety concerns remained.
"I'm really glad to hear that the sheriffs situation was addressed and restored to the level that it was before this issue recently came up because the security of the people in the court is a big factor, especially in criminal court because of the nature of the clientele," Johnsen said.
Ministry of Attorney General communications manager Linda Mueller said there are currently 20 sheriffs in Prince George and the hours of the two part-time sheriffs were reduced by seven hours a week but have since been restored to the equivalent of full-time status.
"The service has one staff sergeant vacancy, which it expects to fill," Mueller added. "This will bring the staffing numbers to 21, with no other vacancies."
Attorney General Barry Penner said in a statement the reductions were reversed after he met June 13 with the chief justices and chief judge of B.C.'s court system.
"They expressed concern about operating with roving sheriffs for court cases which judges felt presented a potential security threat," he said. "I subsequently directed the ministry to increase deployment of auxiliary and part-time deputy sheriffs.
"I do not want cases to be adjourned or dismissed simply because a sheriff is not physically present in a courtroom."
Penner added that auxiliary employees can expect to see their hours continue to fluctuate.
"Some courts, such as traffic and small claims court, have traditionally sat without a dedicated sheriff unless a potential threat has been identified," Penner said.
The BCGEU praised the reversal but also said a hiring freeze has reduced the number of sheriffs province-wide over the last two years to about 380 from 525.
In 2008, there were 21 sheriffs employed in Prince George, of which five were auxiliaries, Mueller said.
"Those auxiliary members have since been rolled over to full-time status," she said.
- with files from The Canadian Press
