By GREG NIKKEL, of the Weyburn Review
The two police departments serving the City of Weyburn and surrounding communities are doing what they can to be ready for the Year 2000, including ensuring there will be sufficient manpower when the calendar changes over, but with many things dependent on outside agencies.
The Weyburn RCMP detachment, which serves a wide rural area outside of the city limits along with the Weyburn Highway Patrol, is having many of its computer and communications equipment being looked after by their headquarters in Regina, said commanding officer Cpl. Art Hopkins.
The main computer has already been made compliant, while the radio communications people in Regina have been looking after the detachment's radios, which include portable radios, radios in patrol cars and the dispatch centre.
"We also went to the other various emergency services, like the ambulance and fire departments, to see how their Y2K compliance is and what contingency plans they have," said the corporal.
From the polling they've done of the various fire departments in the area, most are still using radio equipment that doesn't have any embedded chips, and the conclusion is the turn-over to the year 2000 won't affect most fire departments other than their telephone systems, which is being looked after in turn by SaskTel.
"We're being assured by SaskTel and SaskPower that all their systems are Y2K compliant," said Cpl. Hopkins.
At the Weyburn Police Service, Chief Bill Millar said their radio system, which uses the digital technology through Fleetnet, is being looked after by SaskTel, along with their telephone system. The department has also been working with SaskPower and Sask Energy to make sure everything will be in place in the New Year.
The police's in-house computer system is compliant, and the department is working with the city's buildings manager, Dick Owens, to see that the various systems in the building are being looked after which may use embedded chips, such as the heating system, said Millar.
While the police are doing what they can to be ready, said the chief, "we can't guarantee everything will be perfect. We're doing the best we can to make everything's on the go. It's an ongoing thing."
As far as police staffing for the New Year's period, both departments are prepared to have the necessary manpower available for whatever may arise.
Chief Millar would say only that the city department "will have sufficient staffing within the city for the period," adding he hasn't gone as far as the RCMP in terms of cancelling leaves for members well into the year 2000.
The RCMP have mandated nationally that all leaves are cancelled for the period from Dec. 27 through to March 31, 2000, said Cpl. Hopkins.
"That's subject to change after Jan. 1. If no problems occur by the end of January, then that order will be rescinded or modified. We won't know until that time," he said.
The main problems that may arise from the turnover of the calendar, added the corporal, will likely be in public utilities, fuel stations and banking systems. Where the police may be affected, he said, will be if they want to get fuel for their patrol cars and members find some pumps aren't working because of embedded chips in the pumps. Cpl. Hopkins noted the city has above-ground fuel tanks, and the Co-op will have portable generators in place in case the power fails to their pumps.
"If everything stays in place that's supposed to stay in place, it won't affect policing," said Cpl. Hopkins.
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