Plans to expand the role of B.C. sheriffs by having them perform traffic duties to free up police services for more serious crimes appear to be lagging, according to the BCGEU.

The idea to have sheriffs participate in traffic duties was first presented to Attorney General Mike de Jong in 2006. The plan was based on a model in Alberta where sheriffs took on these extra duties in 2006.

"We were optimistic when the provincial government started training 13 of our sheriffs for these extra duties," said Dean Purdy, chair of the union's Correction and Sheriff Services component.

"We have heard that plans to backfill the sheriffs who will have these extra duties is not moving as fast as we would like," said Purdy. "In fact, there are suggestions that an opportunity to hire more sheriffs in January may not happen and will set back the plans to allow the sheriffs to take on the extra responsibilities.

"It would be unfortunate if these plans do not go ahead," said Purdy. "Police services have serious crimes to deal with, such as gang activity, and by having sheriffs take on some traffic duties would free up a great deal of their time."

The union has recently received a letter from the Deputy Attorney General outlining the plans, but there is no commitment to proceed.

Thirteen union members recently took additional training at the Justice Institute to allow them to take on the extra duties.

"We appreciate the government's work on this issue, but the time has come to move ahead," said Purdy.

"We have also proposed adding other responsibilities to sheriffs, such as the issuing of warrants, which would take a huge load off the justice system," Purdy said. "I can't imagine police officers, faced with the issues they have, being able to get around to even delivering these warrants."

The letter form the Deputy Attorney General references the delivering of warrants by sheriffs, but again, no final decision has been made. The letter indicates there are around 7,700 outstanding bench warrants that have not been delivered. There are more than 25,000 outstanding warrants around the province.

"I think the delivering of warrants is a key job we can take on, but we've got to tie down the traffic duties first," said Purdy. "We've raised this issue with the government in the last few weeks and I'm eager to get a positive response from them."