The City of Nelson and Nelson Police Department have cancelled the Community Safety Officer (CSO) Pilot program due to a lack of funding.
The CSO program started in July 2023. The two female officers have acted as community liaisons and public engagement officers to help the police department tackle public safety concerns in the community.
NPD Inspector Kris Rice said that the program was initially funded through charitable events and donations. Unfortunately, provincial funding that the City had anticipated receiving did not come to fruition to the extent needed, forcing the city to cancel the program and dissolve the two current CSO positions, effective Mar. 1.
However, Rice added that in April the City is funding another pilot, but this time for just one CSO position with salary adjustments.
Both of the current CSO officers have been encouraged to apply, and the city has a job posting on its website for other interested individuals.
Rice says the department will be studying the data collected from both CSO officers to determine the program’s outcome in 2025.