The provincial justice minister says he’s met repeatedly with members of the National Policing Federation to discuss issues of concern.

The federation recently launched an online petition calling on the province to do more to support public safety by providing RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador with the resources it needs to address the changing nature of crime.

Minister Bernard Davis says the province has provided more than $40 million in additional funding for policing over the last four years.

He says the RCMP has made changes to its recruitment policy, including allowing Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to be stationed back home, if they so desire.

“We’re seeing the fruits of that labour,” says Davis.

He says they have full classes at Depot and officers are coming back to Newfoundland and Labrador on a regular basis and filling some of those vacant positions that were hard to fill.

Davis says the Policing Transformation Working group is working with the province’s two police services and the community as they look at ways to improve and modernize policing in Newfoundland and Labrador.