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Yellowknife RCMP are operating with a complement of officers that's well short of full staffing.

The city's detachment is coping with 15 of 47 regular member positions vacant, Cpl. Josh Seaward told ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø on June 19.

That leaves a staffing gap of about 32 per cent.

Speaking at city hall earlier this month, RCMP Insp. Kurtis Pillipow told city councillors one issue that the police are currently facing is a staffing shortage. Pillipow added that more police officers are coming to work in Yellowknife, however.

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø followed up with RCMP, asking to speak with Pillipow about the shortage, but that request was declined.

Seaward did, however, note that the vacant positions have been a sustained reality for some time and it's not unique to the Yellowknife detachment.

"Many law-enforcement agencies have faced recruitment challenges in recent years," he said. “However, we are fortunately seeing improvement on that front." 

RCMP have confirmed to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø that at least five officers are incoming, though a precise date for their arrival has not been shared.

But even with new members on the way, it's unlikely to make much of a difference. Seaward explained that while some members are slated to transfer in, others are transferring out.

"There is always fluctuation," he said. "Our model is flexible to absorb these realities, and these fluctuations generally do not result in any impact on front-line policing services provided by our detachments."

G Division — which represents the entire NWT — has a vacancy rate of about 30 per cent, according to Seaward. That’s an improvement over the 36 per cent vacancy rate from last quarter, he noted.

RCMP have pledged to increase their presence downtown, but say they’re unable to quantify what that increase will look like.