As of May, 2015 there were 8,678
police officers in the province, an addition of six
officers since 2014. The rate of police strength (the
number of police per 100,000 population) in B.C. was 185
in 2015, 0.9% lower than in the previous year and
marking the fourth consecutive annual decline.
Among some of the province’s larger municipalities,
there were 1,280 police officers in Vancouver, just over
640 in Surrey, 243 in Victoria and 156 in Saanich, which
adds up to 197, 129, 240 and 137 police officers per
100,000 population, respectively.
The province remains well below the national per capita
rate of 192 officers per 100,000 Canadians. With a rate
of 202, Saskatchewan had the highest rate for police
strength among the provinces, while P.E.I. (154) had the
lowest.
In 2015, over a fifth (22%) of police officers in
British Columbia were female, the second highest
proportion of any province or territory (Quebec recorded
25%). The percentage of female police officers in Canada
has been increasing steadily over the past couple of
decades. While females represented just 10% of all
police officers in the country in 1995, by 2015, their
proportion had grown to 21%.
When it snows, David Almaas spends three-to-four hours
clearing sidewalks and walking trails around Enderby,
along with a group of roughly four other like-minded
locals.
ENDERBY - After news that a group of volunteer snow
plowers might have to cease their efforts due to legal
issues, the community has come together to find a
solution that lets the good Samaritans keep up their
work.
David Almaas is one of about five people in Enderby who
clear sidewalks and walking trails using off-road
vehicles equipped with snowplows. They’ve been doing it
for years, but recently, one of them was stopped on the
road by a police officer, which drew the whole operation
into question.
“(The cop) told him it’s a big fine and they’d tow the
vehicle next time,” Almaas says, noting the fine is
around $500.
The problem is off road vehicles aren’t allowed to be on
the road, something Almaas admits he knew but never
really worried about before. After the warning, some of
the plowers took to social media to let people know
they’d have to stop doing the work. Many people
expressed their disappointment.
“We’re just trying to help people out. It’s the right
thing to do, right?” Almaas says.
He says he bought the equipment a few years ago to do
his own driveway, which quickly grew to him doing the
neighbour’s driveway, and eventually snow balled into a
route that includes the River Walk trail and numerous
sidewalks. He starts around 7 a.m. and it takes him
three-to-four hours to complete.
Thanks to a new pilot program, people like David Almaas
will be able to keep lending a hand when the snow flies.
“More scooters are going around downtown, more elderly
people have a hard time shovelling. It’s just easier to
whip through and clear ‘em out,” Almaas says.
When contacted Friday morning, Enderby Mayor Greg McCune
said he welcomes the volunteer work — as long as it’s
done safely and legally.
“You’re always trying to help out your neighbour. If we
can figure out a way to do it legally, I’ll be in favour
of it,” McCune said.
By the end of the day on Friday, the City of Enderby had
done just that. Chief administrative officer Tate
Bengston says he’s spoken with the RCMP and reviewed
ICBC regulations, and come up with an idea that should
satisfy everyone.
“Obviously, we have to balance interests and make sure
everything is safe and legal, but what we’re doing is
we’re going to start a pilot program here to work with
good Samaritans to issue them a permit to operate on
untravelled portions of the roadway,” Bengston says.
“The critical thing is we want to make sure the work is
done in a way that’s safe for them, and others.”
Plowers would get a restricted plate from ICBC to
operate on sidewalks and boulevards for the strict
purposes of snow clearing. The permit would be free of
charge and operators would have to follow a set of
specific requirements — but they’ll be able to keep
doing their work.
“We’re optimistic we’ve found a way that it can be
done,” Bengston says. “Based on everything so far, it
looks very viable.”
Bengston says the extra help provided by the volunteer
plowers is what community is all about, and he’s glad
they were able to find a workable solution.
“Our community is built and powered by good community
volunteers working in conjunction with the city and
everybody else,” Bengston says.
Retired RCMP member Don Mathison protests the RCMP’s
treatment of their officers outside the Vernon
detachment Thursday. (Lisa VanderVelde/Morning Star)
Enderby's Don Mathison believes
internal problems are leading to low morale...and worse
Lack of leadership. Intimidation. Cover-ups. Uniform
members as scapegoats. A toxic, systemic culture. Sexual
harassment. Lack of discipline and bullying.
Those are some of the major problems that former officer
Don Mathison of Enderby believes exist at the top levels
of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. And those problems
adorn the A-side of his one-man protest sign, which
Mathison carried for nearly four hours outside the
Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP detachment Thursday.
“The protest is about what’s going on inside the RCMP,
said Mathison, 75, who served his entire 12-year RCMP
career in Alberta. “It’s not what the public’s creating
against the members. It’s what the higher ranks and
federal government are doing to the members inside the
force. It’s all internal.”
Mathison has walked with his sign in Armstrong,
Kamloops, at B.C. Division headquarters in Surrey and on
Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
Vernon was the fifth stop of his one-man protest, coming
two days after the Vernon-North Okanagan detachment
requested six new officers – at a cost of $1.05 million
– from the city, which heard that morale at the local
detachment was low due to heavy caseloads.
“Council may say we can’t afford them (new officers),
but when you realize what’s happening inside the force,
you better afford them,” he said. “You need them, the
public needs them.”
The other side of his sign lists four derogatory words
which spell RCMP– and best describes the national force,
said Mathison – Reprehensive (SIC – should be
Reprehensible). Complacent. Manipulative. Pervasive.
On Mathison’s jacket are five commemorative buttons: a
Canadian flag, the 125th anniversary of the RCMP in
Canada, the Canadian Army button, and buttons that
remember four officers killed on duty in Mayerthorpe,
Alta, and the ribbon button that commemorates fallen
officers or who died in the line of duty. He starts to
break down, his voice cracking and tears welling up, as
he mentions that 36 former or current RCMP members have
committed suicide over the past several years.
“The silence is this country is deafening. Nobody is
standing up (for the officers),” he said.
Mathison graduated from depot in Regina in 1963. It was
in 1974, when he was stationed near Grande Prairie, that
Mathison left the force after losing faith in the
judicial system.
“We had 103 impaired drivers in the Peace River
subdivision out of Grande Prairie, and 97 got tossed out
because of an alcoholic judge,” said Mathison. “He got
transferred to Edmonton, sobered up and became one of
the best judges Alberta ever had. On appeal, we won 97
of those impaired driving charges.”
He worked in the oil industry and has kept in touch with
colleagues throughout the years. During his protests,
he’s also heard from officers and the public at large.
“The public reaction, I would say, has been outpouring,”
said Mathison. “People really care. But we get too far
into a discussion on the sign I’m carrying, and they
can’t handle what I’m telling them.
“People say ‘we trust Don, he’ll talk about what we tell
him without saying who we are or what we tell him.’
Having served, it’s part of me.”
Asked if he feared repercussions, or being taken as a
“crazy old man,” Mathison shook his head.
“You can’t stop an individual from doing what he thinks
should be done,” he said.
Mathison is hoping to meet with the top brass of the
Vernon-North Okanagan detachment to discuss his
concerns.
Vernon faces 'risks' without
more police officers, top cop says by Charlotte Helston / iNFOnews.ca)
November 14, 2017
Supt. Jim McNamara
(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)
VERNON - Without an increase of
general duty officers, there will be risks to the
citizens of Vernon and its police officers, the city’s
top cop said today.
The revelation comes a year after iNFOnews.ca's November
2016 series "Risk it Out" which identified chronic
understaffing issues within the Vernon detachment was
creating unacceptable risks for officers.
Supt. Jim McNamara is now asking council for a boost of
six more police officers, including four general duty
constables, and one officer each for the Prolific
Offender Unit and Sex Crimes unit. The price tag is
roughly $1 million, which includes salaries, equipment,
administration and maintenance costs.
In “Risk it Out,” iNFOnews.ca reported that Vernon’s
general duty watches — which are made up of seven
constables, one corporal and a sergeant — had at times
fallen as low as just three officers due to
understaffing. Our story revealed that when officers are
away on parental leave and sick leave, or due to
injuries or for training, the watches are forced to
“risk it out” with remaining members because no one else
was backfilling the shifts. Watch commanders can call in
overtime, but that often leads to stress and burnout.
Sources in positions of knowledge said the shortage was
putting officers at risk.
Today, Nov. 14, Supt. McNamara reiterated many of those
issues when he presented Vernon city council with a
17-page business case for more manpower. In that report,
he says a reduction in funded officer positions since
2010 combined with increasing workloads has affected
levels of service, and had “a detrimental impact on
officer well-being and fatigue of personnel.”
'IMPACT ON LOCAL MORALE'
“This demand on available resources contributes to a
further decrease in operational capacity during periods
of medical and administrative absences. The current
limitations on staffing also have an impact on local
morale and job satisfaction and may lead to challenges
in attracting experienced police officers from other
detachments to Vernon due to concerns about workloads
and the inability to maintain a healthy work/life
balance,” McNamara said.
In a comparison with nine other RCMP detachments,
McNamara said Vernon consistently ranked the highest for
calls for service per officer from 2010 to 2016, and the
highest criminal code offences per officer for the last
four years. The average criminal code files per officer
for those nine communities was 74, while a Vernon
officer has 98, McNamara said.
Vernon’s four general duty watches — responsible for
responding to calls for service and carrying out
proactive policing, targeted patrols, street checks and
traffic enforcement — are comprised of one sergeant, one
corporal and seven constable positions, McNamara said.
In an interview following his presentation to council,
McNamara told iNFOnews.ca the nine-officer complement is
a targeted level and not consistently met due to annual
leaves, members being away for training, or officers
calling in sick. He said the detachment has a minimum
staffing level for the watches but would not divulge
what that number is. He said watch commanders have the
ability to call officers in on overtime if the watches
are below minimum levels.
Vernon RCMP Insp. Gord Stewart pictured at a Nov. 14,
2017 meeting before Vernon City Council.
(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)
Under the heading “Risks
associated to status quo” McNamara’s report states that
no increase in officers would result in risks to
citizens and police officers, including lowered
conviction rates.
McNamara appears to have done a complete turnaround on
the issue. In a letter to the editor published a few
days after
“Risk it Out” Supt. McNamara initially
disputed the findings: “To set the record straight, I do
not believe chronic under staffing is leaving our police
officers or the public in danger,” he said. Asked today
about those comments, McNamara said: “What I was very
clear on is I don’t believe our officers were at risk as
a result of understaffing… in danger as a result of
officer staffing,” McNamara said.
Does he still believe they are not at risk?
“Well, are officers at risk every day when they go out?
I mean, they put their lives on the line every day they
go out to work, so they’re always at risk, but it was
very specific that the suggestion was our officers were
in danger as a result of understaffing and I don’t
believe they were and I don’t believe they are today."
Risks associated to status quo (on general duty
watches):
Greater risk to police and public safety through limited
resource availability and the capacity to respond to
calls for service in a timely manner.
Inability to maintain police visibility through
pro-active patrolling to deter crime.
Reduced public confidence due to a diminished ability to
maintain current service delivery levels.
Decreased flexibility to manage vacancies due to
mandatory training, vacation, parental leave, injury
illness and other unplanned and unanticipated absences.
Weaker court cases and reduced conviction rates due to
police officers having inadequate time to dedicate to
thorough and complete investigations.
The need to collapse current enhanced units, such as
Downtown Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Prolific Offender
Unit (POU) and our School Resource Officer (SRO)
position in order to redeploy those resources to general
duty to deal with growing demands for service.
Negative impact on officer morale and well-being as a
result of excessive call volumes and workload and
inability to maintain a healthy work/ life balance.
Lack of opportunity for officers to participate in
developmental opportunities to enhance skills and
personal development which would lead to higher quality
service delivery.
Inability to attract experienced police officers from
other detachments to Vernon due to concerns about
excessive workloads and the inability to maintain a
healthy work/life balance.
It's a case experts and lawyers call "scary" and
"unbelievable." The RCMP took a young Edmonton-area-boy
from his mother and gave him to his father in B.C. that
he didn't know. Fletcher Kent reports.
Saturday, Sept. 23 was supposed to be the day Daylan
Postkin celebrated his second birthday at Chucky Cheese.
Instead, an RCMP officer met his mother Kandis Potskin
at the front door of their Spruce Grove apartment. He
had a B.C. court order that allowed him to take Daylan
and give him to his father, who he’d last seen as a
newborn.
Four minutes later, Potskin left the building with
Daylan in her arms. The Mountie carried the boy’s small,
hastily packed suitcase. Potskin placed Daylan in the
back seat of the cruiser and watched as it drove away.
The officer wouldn’t tell her where he was taking her
son.
With birthday presents still in the trunk of her car,
she struggled to make sense of what had just happened.
“I was in shock. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t
know what to do,” said Potskin, who wasn’t part of any
custody hearing in any province and who friends describe
as a wonderful, loving parent.
“How can they grant full custody to someone who is a
total stranger to my kid? He has no ties to him at all.”
Saturday was the first of six days that Daylan was
separated from the only parent he’s ever known; the
first of six days of fighting by Kandis Potskin.
She hired a lawyer and on Monday, arrived at the
Edmonton Law Courts with friends. By then, she knew her
ex, Kelly Swartz, had Daylan, but not where they were.
“I cry myself to sleep every night wanting my son,” she
said at the time. “If I open my eyes, his crib is there
but he’s not in it. I can’t sleep.
“I’m frustrated. I want my child back now.”
Potskin’s lawyer, an expert in family law and veteran of
many custody battles, was as baffled by the B.C. court
order as Potskin.
“I can’t tell from the face of this order on what
grounds this child was snatched by surprise from mom,”
said Kim Doniger.
The order, dated Aug. 25 and signed by
B.C. Provincial Court
Judge Ellen Gordon, indicates there was a
custody hearing in Surrey, B.C. The transcript shows
that hearing was brief. Kelly Swartz appeared without a
lawyer. He said Potskin and Daylan lived with him in
Vancouver but “she took off, and I started the court
thing right after that.”
Potskin disputes Swartz’s account. She says she lived
briefly in B.C. after Daylan was born but had her own
place.
Doniger argued Swartz is not just a stranger to his son;
he’s a stranger in the eyes of the law. Though Potskin
acknowledges Swartz is Daylan’s biological father, he’s
not listed on the birth certificate. He had no contact
with either Potskin or Daylan for 22 months. There was
no paternity test. How did he even prove his connection
to the child?
“It’s very scary; the
fact a complete legal stranger, that Ms. Potskin hasn’t
seen in almost two years, can just walk into a court and
take her child from her,” Doniger said.
“He doesn’t even have any proof that he’s father of the
child. So that’s pretty scary that you can just go to a
court and get an order snatching someone else’s child. I
think that’s very scary.
Doniger argued the B.C. court had no authority to decide
the fate of a child born, raised and residing in
Alberta.
The judge agreed. Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Avril
Inglis asserted jurisdiction over Daylan’s case. She
stayed the B.C. order and instructed Daylan be returned
to his mother pending a full hearing.
But one overwhelming problem remained.
“We still don’t know where he is,” Potskin said.
“What he must be feeling, wondering where I am, why he’s
over there. He doesn’t know anything. He’s just lost,
confused, scared.”
On Thursday, after three days of wrangling with courts,
Potskin was told she could go fetch her son. She caught
a plane to Vancouver and, shortly before midnight
Alberta time, finally got Daylan back. They returned to
Edmonton the next day. At the airport, Daylan greeted
other family members with a big smile and hugged his
five-year-old sister.
Potskin is relieved but also angry. She blames the B.C.
court for “snatching” her son with no good reason.
Neither the B.C. government nor the B.C. provincial
court has provided a response to her concerns.
Swartz did not respond to a request for an interview.
As she stood in the arrivals area of the airport,
watching her son run around and play with his sister and
grandmother, she vowed to keep fighting.
“It was so easy for him to come here and grab the baby.
But to get him back, is like I’m jumping through hoops.
“This can’t happen. If this can happen to me, if it can
happen to one mother, it’s going to happen to another —
or it could. And we don’t want that. I don’t want it.”
Why are Canadian’s so passive that we will accept
defeat, rather than fight for our rights and what is
fair? That’s right, we always say sorry even if we
didn’t do anything, everyone knows that.
Government corporations such as ICBC can raise rates
many times more than anyone else. When did you ever get
a 30 per cent pay raise? But we accept it as their
right. Some complain, but the norm is, “Oh well that’s
ICBC.”
The list of others is endless. Just like negative
polling to pass dubious bills to borrow money for
someone’s pet project that couldn’t get funded
otherwise.
Ever notice the only way people get fair treatment today
is to involve the media? The criminals today seem to
demand their Charter rights in order to find loopholes
to get off a crime they and everyone else knows they
committed, but we let it happen anyway.
I firmly believe, and so do many other people I have
spoken to, that the RCMP have outlived their mandate of
a policing service. Many of the services they used to
provide are gone.
The most visual presence is when they are travelling
down 27th Street at very high speeds with lights and
sirens blaring.
Maybe the police should address simple traffic
violations. It might curb road rage issues when people
run red lights or stop signs, make improper turns and
cut people off. The list of simple infractions is
endless that would stop a lot of bad habits from
escalating.
I see lots of upset drivers taking the law into their
own hands because there is no police presence.
Ask any motorcyclist about lack of law enforcement
against car/pickup drivers in Vernon.
I’m not saying that none of them are doing their job.
We do have some excellent police officers in this city.
I am saying that the job has changed and I don’t think
they have. This city still has around 40,000 people and
we have 50 or more police officers on staff with no more
than half-a-dozen at work at any given time.
Vernon is not a high crime city. Transients and drug
issues, for sure, but still small town feel. We don’t
need more police. We need them to be more efficient, to
be proactive instead of reactive.
When Ottawa told Christy Clark to sign a 20-year
contract or they were pulling RCMP services, she should
have taken the initiative and said, “OK, leave and we
will do as many other B.C. communities have and hire our
own police force (Surrey, Delta, Vancouver, Vancouver
Island has several).”
We pay what the federal government says. The RCMP are
federal employees. We have no say in anything they do,
where they are stationed and for how long. We all know
this is the prime area for RCMP to finish their service
and retire here. Guess who covers the cost of their
relocation and any losses they incur on their homes if
they move?
Maybe it’s time for the Okanagan Valley to employ its
own police force. It might take a while to implement but
I’m sure it would be more efficient and cost-effective
in the long-term.
How long will it be before we are told to build Vernon a
detachment like Kelowna? Do they really need prime real
estate down own? On 25th Avenue, there are several lots
for sale that would be much better suited. After all,
shouldn’t police be on patrol, not inside a nice
building all day?
Braden Taylor thank you for your response to my letter.
If rural areas were not meant to be included in the
criminal code, the criminal code would say so. I for
one, surely don't expect my rural area to be lawless, or
the laws enforced any different in my rural area than in
the city.
Sharon Schnurr
==========================
In response Vernon Morning Star - Sep 10th, 2017 -
Letters
I recently read Sharon Schnurr’s well articulated letter
to the editor in The Morning Star and I felt a need to
respond.
I find it unbelievable that you expect the police to
quickly respond to your slightest whim.
Police, in my view, are intended to serve and protect
citizens in need. They are not designed to respond to
quibbles between neighbours such as a dog barking or
some music and laughter in the evening.
I find the complaint about laughter at night humorous to
be honest.
Imagine if others in our society were pestering local
police.
We would either need to hire many more officers or the
ones we do have would be busy attending to spilled milk
while real crimes slipped by unchecked.
Rural policing Vernon Morning Star - Aug 25th, 2017 -
Letters
RCMP Supt. Jim McNamara, your officers have not been
able to attend any complaints I have made in my rural
area.
There are dirt bikes leaving for work at 6:15 a.m. and
quads constantly on the paved public roads in my
subdivision.
There are dogs barking almost every night when the
Regional District of Central Okanagan dog control is
closed. You haven’t been able to stop a dog from barking
in the middle of the night. Like the bylaw states, the
RCMP are bylaw officers for RDCO’s dog bylaw.
There is something seriously wrong with the North
Okanagan RCMP that I have to live in a lawless
subdivision.
Recently, there was a party going on with music and loud
laughter, and I didn’t even get a return call.
Do you think maybe it’s time to admit, instead of
denying it, that you need more officers? I constantly
read comments online about how the RCMP in the North
Okanagan are understaffed.
Or is it more likely that your officers just don’t want
to attend to a barking dog?
It’s time to admit you need more officers Supt. McNamara
so officers can attend to rural areas 45 minutes from
town, and not just hang out in town all the time.
Last month our home was broken into
while we were sleeping. My purse was stolen and my car.
The morning it happened, we had given the RCMP addresses
and times of the places they had used my credit card,
and no video footage had been collected. Within hours
they had opened up a credit card in my name and spent
almost $1,000 immediately with it as well as getting a
new cellphone & contract. I also found out times the of
this, contacted where they got the credit card and was
informed they would make a copy of the video that showed
3 separate times the people were there. The RCMP have
yet to collect this video waiting for them.
Because of social media, we got a tip on where the
stolen car was, we drove there and found it. The police
came and even though there was stolen property purchased
with that fraudulent card, no finger prints or anything
were looked for, we were even told that if we had extra
keys to just drive it home.
We understand that the police have very important and
very busy jobs, but at what point does a crime become
serious enough to do something about? They broke into
our home, stole our money, stole our car, maxed out all
my cards and stole my identity. We have given them
everything we could find, we have contacted the
companies our credit card was used at or accounts
opened, and have given all this information over to
them, dates, times, purchases, etc.
It has been over 4 weeks and we still are no closer to a
resolution than on day one.
How many people need to be affected by this type of
violation, before something is done. These people knew
what they were doing, and unless the RCMP follow up, it
will keep happening to others.
Policing Vernon Morning Star - Jun 7th, 2017 -
Letters / Opinion
Regarding Jerry Reitman’s letter May 14 complaining
about the RCMP wages, I will not go into detail listing
the myriad of tasks performed by members in their
daily/nightly shifts.
However, it’s not an exaggeration to say they have very
demanding jobs and they put their lives on the line each
time they put on their uniforms. Policing is a thankless
career that most people would/should not consider. Mr.
Reitman, in a rather critical tone, first condemns RCMP
officers their hard earned salary, then he sarcastically
asks, “Where do I sign up?”
To answer his question, he could start with the RCMP
website at www.rcmp.gc.ca. He could also go to the local
detachment or he could just ask a member the next time
he sees one. I would encourage Mr. Reitman to keep his
job, though. If he has to ask where to sign up, his
investigative skills seem to be lacking.
I would not want the job of a police officer, but I am
grateful for those that do and I don’t begrudge them the
money they make.
Everything in our lives is a reflection of the choices
we make. If Mr. Reitman is serious when he asks, “Where
do I sign up?” and it isn’t simply resentment that fuels
his comments, I wish him all of the best.
Police wages Vernon Morning star - May 14th, 2017 -
Letters / Opinion
Thank you for alerting readers to the financial
injustice being done to the Vernon RCMP members.
A starting salary of $50,674 is obviously inadequate.
Even worse, after three years of work experience, they
are being forced to accept a measly increase to $82,108,
a puny salary raise of only 62 per cent.
These deplorable working conditions leave only one
question unanswered:
RCMP brass not in favour of
altering uniform Vernon Morning Star - Roger Knox - Apr
14th, 2017
Officers have removed yellow stripe as a protest symbol
in wage dispute
RCMP management does not endorse its members altering
its uniform in a pay dispute.
Officers across the country – including some at the
Vernon-North Okanagan detachment – have chosen not to
wear the yellow stripe on their uniform pants as a
symbol of protest over wage disparities with municipal
police forces.
“We are aware that some members of the RCMP are altering
their uniforms to draw attention to their concerns.
“RCMP management can understand our members’ concerns,
however we do not endorse this action,” said Sgt. Harold
Pfleiderer, a media relations officer with the RCMP’s
national communication service in Ottawa.
Members have not been disciplined for covering up,
removing or changing the colour of the stripe on their
pants.
A conduct process, said Pfleiderer, will not be
initiated unless some other modification to their
uniform has been made which raises an officer or public
safety concern.
A member with their yellow stripes either removed or
obscured will be allowed to continue working.
“We will take a measured approach to this situation,
making sure that service to the community and the safety
of our members and the public remain our first
priorities,” said Pfleiderer.
Think someone should go see a
justice of the peace and see what they would have to say??
OMG LOVE THIS from
wiki.clicklaw.bc.ca
Two
other possibilities, besides filing a complaint with the
Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP
which are useless and just want to collect your evidence
are:
Suing the police
If an RCMP officer injured you, caused you property
damage, or violated your rights, you may be able to sue
the officer or the RCMP (or both) in civil court.
Normally, you sue in the BC Supreme Court. You should
get legal advice promptly in this case—there will be a
time limit for suing.
Criminal charges
If you say that an RCMP officer (LESLIE
HOBENSHIELD) committed a crime or broke a law,
the RCMP will investigate. The result of the
investigation may go to the Regional Crown Counsel—the
senior prosecutor for the area—to decide whether to
charge the officer with a crime. If the police don’t
send a report to the prosecutor, or the prosecutor
decides not to charge the officer, you can still go to a
Justice of the Peace and ask that the officer be
charged. For more information, check script 215, called
“Charging Someone with a Criminal Offense”.
Talk with the prosecutor—if the police send a report to
the prosecutor who then decides not to charge the
person, you can call the prosecutor to see if they will
speak with you. Listen carefully to the prosecutor
because they are experts in criminal law. If you have
new information, the prosecutor may send you back to the
police. In that case, what happens next will depend on
what the police choose to do. If you disagree with the
police’s decision, you can follow the police complaint
process described above.
Charge the person yourself—if
the police won’t investigate or the prosecutor won’t
charge the person and you still disagree with their
decisions, you can ask a Justice of the Peace (a JP) to
charge the person based on “private information”. If the
offence is in the Criminal Code, a JP has to accept the
charge. Even if the JP accepts the charge, in a typical
case, unless there is strong evidence of a criminal
offence, the prosecutor will likely end it (known as a
“stay of prosecution”) because a prosecutor has to meet
a higher standard of proof to prove a charge than a JP
needs to accept one.
THE RCMP ARE
CORRUPT, EVEN THE BCCLA SAYS SO ON THEIR WEBSITE
The BCCLA has an active boycott against both the RCMP
and municipal police complaint processes where civil
remedies in court are available. After many years of
assisting complainants and launching its own complaints,
the BCCLA has concluded
that the process is fundamentally flawed and does not
work. The BCCLA continues to utilise the
complaint process for the purposes of information, law
reform and public education.
The BCCLA believes that the police
have failed with their internal investigations. The
process does not provide adequate or impartial
investigation, and the BCCLA chooses not to endorse such
a process by continuing to offer assistance to
unsuspecting complainants. The complaints process
appears to offer lip service to the notion of
accountability, and sometimes the complaint process
shields officers from responsibility and discipline.
The Police Act, and especially the RCMP Act, are flawed
and outdated models of accountability. Some degree of
change has been seen from the Office of the Police
Complaint Commissioner and the provincial government. So
far there has been little progress from the RCMP or the
federal government. This leaves the courts as the most
impartial forum for police complaints to be heard. With
the help of a guidebook produced by
Pivot Legal Society,
the BCCLA
recommends that people sue the police, rather than file
a police complaint, if they’re seeking an impartial and
fair hearing.
A group of Calgary Police Service employees plans to
submit formal bullying and harassment complaints to the
chief to push for changes they say are desperately
needed.
Const. Jennifer Magnus, who publicly resigned at a
Calgary Police Commission meeting last month, and 12
other employees say
the culture of the service protects
those who are involved in abusive behaviour in the
workplace.
Now Magnus says she's not resigning, because she hopes
the complaints will change the culture at the police
service.
Magnus told a Calgary radio show that she's holding off
on resigning until she speaks further with Chief Roger
Chaffin.
The group says that in some cases complainants were told
by their superiors that nothing would be done if they
filed a grievance, while in others the police union
advised some employees it would not take on blue-on-blue
complaints.
Lawyer Rachel West says Magnus had a positive meeting
with Chaffin last week, and says he's committed to
investigating the complaints.
"They cannot turn to the individual and say, 'Look, if
you make a complaint, your complaint not only will not
be heard, nothing will happen and this is a
career-limiting move, do you really want to do this?'
That can't be the culture," West said.
Magnus, a 14-year veteran of the force, broke down in
tears at the Jan. 31 public Calgary Police Commission
meeting over sexual harassment and bullying she says she
faces on the job.
She tendered her resignation, and after her
presentation, police Chief Roger Chaffin came over, put
a hand on her shoulder, and said he would not accept it.
Magnus read from a statement outlining how she had
decided to stand up for other members as well as
civilian staff who were trying to seek "equality and
justice."
She and another officer went to former chief Rick Hanson
with their concerns, which led to a human resources
audit in 2013.
She said she thought the CPS would hear their concerns
and complaints and act to remedy the problem, but
instead she told the meeting she was "blamed and
disliked for taking a stand for what was right.''
VERNON - The violation of a man's rights by police was
so egregious, a Vernon judge has thrown out a drug
trafficking case to make up for it.
Provincial Court Judge Mayland McKimm called it one of
the clearest cases where a judicial stay of proceedings
is required.
The accused, Christopher Edvin Omar Hjerpe, was charged
with two counts of possession of cocaine and heroin for
the purpose of trafficking stemming from a February 2014
police investigation in the Vernon area, according to a
written judgement dated Jan. 25, 2017.
Police learned from an informant that a vehicle being
used to deliver drugs in the Vernon area and officers
conducted surveillance of the vehicle on Feb. 25, 2014.
Within half an hour, police saw three people make what
appeared to be brief transactions at the vehicle. The
accused was the only person seen driving the vehicle
during that time.
Officers arrested Hjerpe, and a search of the vehicle
turned up just over two grams of heroin in nine separate
packages, and just over six grams of cocaine, also in
various packages, as well as $1,115 in cash. The accused
had $773 on him.
Hjerpe immediately asked to speak to a lawyer, McKimm
said in the ruling.
“Prior to being transported back to the detachment, the
officer-in-charge of the investigation ordered that the
accused be subject to a strip search immediately upon
his arrival at the police station,” McKimm said.
There was no evidence provided by the officers as to the
necessity of conducting a strip search, McKimm said.
The search, which was done in the detachment’s ‘booking
area’, occurred in the presence of a civilian guard who
observed the entire procedure. The accused was
asked to lower his pants and underwear, bend over, and
reveal his rectum. The room itself was video monitored,
and McKimm said the search was “available for
observation on a closed-circuit television” which
enhanced the violation of privacy.
“No inquiries were made of the accused with respect to
any religious or cultural concerns with respect to this
invasion of privacy. It is significant to note that none
of the officers have made any detailed notes with
respect to the circumstances of the strip search of the
accused,” McKimm said.
After Hjerpe spoke to a
lawyer, a decision was made to hold him overnight for
court the following day, despite the fact the officers
knew court was available for a bail hearing that
afternoon and “most certainly” were aware that a bail
hearing by telephone was available 24 hours a day,
McKimm said.
McKimm said the officers had reasonable grounds to make
the arrest, but things went downhill from there. He said
there were no reasonable grounds to justify the invasive
strip search, and said it was not conducted in a way
that minimized the invasion of the accused’s privacy.
“The search in question raises serious concerns with
respect to the efforts made to preserve the privacy and
dignity of the accused,” McKimm said.
“I would also note that no effort was made by the
investigating officers to determine either any religious
concerns of the accused nor whether the strip search in
question would raise any concerns with respect to the
sexual orientation of the accused. In my view, it is
incumbent on authorities conducting invasive strip
searches that they make inquiries with respect to
whether or not those searches would be particularly
offensive to the individual as a result of
considerations of either culture or sexual orientation,”
McKimm said.
The Supreme Court of Canada has found that strip
searches are a very serious violation of the integrity
and dignity of citizens and has crafted detailed
considerations to ensure that the serious invasion of
privacy occurs only when absolutely necessary.
“The investigating authorities appear to have no
understanding of these fundamental principles,” McKimm
said.
He also ruled that Hjerpe’s rights were violated when
police detained him for 26 hours after his arrest.
“The officer was not familiar with the requirement that
citizens be released as soon as practicable but rather
held the erroneous view that the police had the
privilege of holding accused persons for 24 hours as a
result merely of their arrest,” McKimm said.
He said the seriousness of the two breaches “completely
outweighs society’s interest in adjudicating the case on
its merits.”
The appropriate remedy, McKimm ruled, was a judicial
stay of proceedings, which must only be granted in the
clearest cases and when no other remedy will do.
How could they make force-wide corrections to
use-of-force issues if they’re not even collecting that
information, if they’re not even asking those questions
in a centralized way?”
VANCOUVER – Canada’s Mounties are failing to monitor
use-of-force incidents for problems, just one of several
examples of the agency’s lack of transparency and
accountability, says a new report from the Civilian
Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP.
For the past seven years, the RCMP has required officers
to fill out a detailed report every time they use force
— from throwing a punch to firing their gun.
Yet the agency is only now developing a way to review
these reports for any problematic trends or issues.
The watchdog also found that the force’s guidelines for
strip searches were fuzzy and that officers often failed
to properly document cases in which they jailed someone
for public intoxication.
“It’s very difficult to hold RCMP officers accountable
when we can’t tell from their notes, a high proportion
of the time, what they did in a given case — when they
used force, how they followed up on a missing-person
file, how they dealt with someone who was allegedly
publicly intoxicated,” said Josh Paterson, executive
director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.
Responding to concerns raised by civil liberties and
human rights groups about policing in the North, the
commission undertook a review of the RCMP’s policing
practices and policies in the northern district of
British Columbia, where about 18 per cent of the
population is aboriginal.
PENTICTON - Low RCMP staffing levels at the Keremeos
detachment have local politicians worried.
Keremeos mayor and Regional District of Okanagan
Similkameen director Manfred Bauer approached the
regional district board at the regular meeting
yesterday, Jan.5, seeking a letter of support for
requests to the RCMP for extra staffing at the Keremeos
RCMP detachment.
Letters submitted to Solicitor General Mike Morris from
the Village of Keremeos and the Lower Similkameen Indian
Band cite high turnover, lack of service and long
response times as reasons for requesting the RCMP bump
the Keremeos detachment up one level of service by
making it a sergeant run detachment.
Bauer told directors the detachment is
currently managed by a corporal, limiting staffing to a
maximum of four. When illness, holidays, training,
transfer and career moves are taken into account, the
detachment almost never has the full complement of
members on duty.
He also noted the high staff turnover rates in the last
three to five years impacted the community negatively
because members did not have time to form relationships
with the community.
Bauer described an instance last month in the village
where a Keremeos couple waited 65 minutes for a police
response to a man bashing on their door at 2:30 a.m.
Regional district chief administrative officer Bill
Newell noted they had previously discussed a lack of
policing in the rural communities, in addition to the
opening of the Okanagan Correctional facility in Oliver
later this month.
The board unanimously
agreed to support the request to up the complement of
RCMP officers in Keremeos.
“It’s the same sentiment that applies to hospitals; nobody
cares until they actually need that service, and then when the need is there and
they can’t get the service, they are concerned about what’s going on,” Gordon
says. “It’s an abstract thing until they want to use an emergency department and
get there and can’t see a physician for three hours.
VERNON - Vernon’s mayor continues to stress his
confidence in the RCMP, although he admits he doesn’t
have all the details about how the detachment does
business.
Following a report by iNFOnews.ca that front line police
officers are understaffed and forced to ‘risk it out’ on
watch shifts, Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund affirmed his full
confidence in the RCMP and said in a media release the
report contained misinformation about staffing levels.
In an interview after the city released its statement,
Mund said he did not know what minimum staffing levels
are for city watches or what levels they normally
operate at. He said he 'believed' it was clarified that
watches do not run as low as two officers. The report by
iNFOnews.ca indicated watches have, at times, fallen as
low as three to five officers.
When asked if he would look into the concerns raised in
the report, he acknowledged he would be in touch with
Supt. Jim McNamara.
“We’ll have a discussion with the superintendent and
just see what he has to say,” Mund said. “Obviously, we
don’t mandate what the RCMP does. We can ask the
questions. If we’re allowed to share, we’ll share. If
not, for privacy reasons, we won't.”
As of Thursday, Dec. 8, Mund said he had not yet
discussed it with the superintendent.
“As far as I know, everything is running well,” Mund
said. “If there was a concern I’m sure the
superintendent and inspector would voice those concerns
to the city. I’m not worried about the amount of
officers we have out there right now.”
Supt. McNamara says there are currently 57 officers in
the city’s 56 established positions, however due to
illness, injuries and administrative leave, the bill is
for 48 officers. He said the detachment is working
towards the 50 positions funded by the city.
“If the city is being billed for 48 it means that on
average we've had 48 roadable officers providing
operational police services to the City of Vernon,”
McNamara said.
It is unknown how many of the 48 are general duty
officers working the watches.
McNamara said the detachment can also redeploy officers
from around its five detachment areas as required and
watch commanders can call in overtime resources. He does
not believe chronic understaffing is leaving police
officers or the public in danger.
An officer blocks off a section of Pottery Road in
Vernon following a shooting incident April 14, 2016.
(FILE PHOTO)
VERNON - Chronic understaffing isn't a new problem for
Vernon RCMP detachment — it has plagued the department
for years, and it’s not the only detachment facing the
dilemma.
Back in 2013, former Supt. Reg Burgess said the North
Okanagan detachment, which includes Vernon and outlying
communities, consistently faced 15 to 20 long term
absences at any given time for the past several years.
At the time, Burgess, who retired in 2015, said the
detachment was operating with between 19 and 27
resources unable to perform duties at any given time.
“This high percentage of non-operational resources often
puts us short of the minimal resource levels in any of
our areas resulting in excessive overtime, insufficient
vacation time, compounded fatigue and stress which in
turn contribute in part to our medical absences.
Shortages affect sufficient developmental training time
for members. They also significantly reduce our ability
to conduct proactive policing such as undercover
operations and high visibility random patrols,” Burgess
said in a report to Vernon councillors.
Sources say those same issues continue to impact the
detachment today, with chronic understaffing leaving
some watches running short of the minimum manpower
needed for officer safety. At times, watches are as low
as three officers in the City of Vernon due to
difficulty filling shifts, sources say, forcing
remaining officers to 'risk it out' when they go on
shift.
It should be noted that accounting for RCMP staffing
positions is complicated and the language is important.
Resources are reported in many different ways. (If you
have questions, ask them in the comments below the
story.)
Staffing levels within the RCMP are known to fluctuate
significantly for various reasons, but what's largely
causing the issue is members off duty due to illness,
suspension, injury or parental leave which the RCMP
often doesn't backfill like municipal police forces do.
Police reports to the city between 2012 and today show
the number of established positions — within the City of
Vernon specifically — have changed little, ranging from
50 to 56, but only 47 to 50 officers actually on the
ground. The difference is how many officers are
unavailable for duty — on average approximately eight
members.
Supt. Reg Burgess retired in March 2015.
(CHARLOTTE HELSTON /InfoTel Multimedia)
‘HIGH IMPACT ON OVERALL OPERATIONS’
In 2013, Burgess told council the strain wasn’t just
coming from the 15 to 20 long term absences. He said
additional officers — four at the time in the North
Okanagan at large — were at work, but on restricted duty
status. An additional four to seven short term absences
also negatively impacted resource levels, he said.
The number of officers off duty changes constantly, at
times on a weekly or even daily basis. Near the end of
summer 2013, Burgess said incoming transfers and returns
to duty from parental leave in the next few months would
help achieve staffing levels required to meet budget
obligations, operational needs and “provide relief
required to maintain officer wellness.”
Despite the optimism, there was still a significant
strain on resources six months later. In December 2013,
Burgess said “ongoing issues caused by long and short
term medical absences and compounded by the delay of
incoming transfers is having a negative impact on our
operational capacity.”
He said 12 to 16 soft vacancies were due to medical
issues, plus an average of seven to eight officers on
restricted duty status.
“Most of these officers are reporting to work in light
duty capacity but there is still a high impact on
overall operations requiring significant use of overtime
to maintain minimal roadable resource,” Burgess said.
In spring 2014, Burgess still had eight to ten members
on administrative or medical status within the City of
Vernon and said it was “making it difficult to
consistently maintain 48 operational members within 56
positions.”
At times, the detachment appears to have had a full
complement of officers. Between October to December of
2014, Burgess said all 101 established positions in the
greater Vernon detachment were occupied.
Since 2015, it appears the RCMP stopped fully and
clearly reporting the number of members on leaves.
RCMP HAS ‘LOST A LOT OF TRACTION’
In addition to leaves, simply getting officers is
another challenge. In 2013, the City of Vernon cut its
available funding to 48 officers from 50, because the
detachment was proving unable to maintain 50 positions.
A city official said at the time there was a lot of
pressure on Depot, Canada’s RCMP academy, to train and
fill vacant positions across the country. That remains
true today.
In Kamloops, for example, the city authorizes funding
for 130 officers, but the detachment is only billing for
120. Supt. Brad Mueller said the detachment has not yet
seen the full arrival of ten new positions approved by
the city in May 2015. In Vernon, where the city upped
funding back to 50 positions in January 2016, the
detachment has only routinely been billing for 48.
According to Statistics Canada, while overall police
strength in Canada increased from 1999 to 2010, it
declined for four consecutive years from 2011 to 2015.
Dr. Robert Gordon, a criminology professor at Simon
Fraser University and a former policeman, says
recruiting is a huge problem facing RCMP detachments
across Canada.
“A lot of that has to do with changed perspectives on
the RCMP,” Gordon says. “It used to be one of Canada’s
icons along with Tim Hortons and hockey. It’s lost a lot
of traction over the last 20 years,” Gordon says.
He says independent, non-RCMP police forces typically
have better success with recruitment, in part because
they don’t transfer officers across the country, as the
RCMP does.
This year, the RCMP loosened its requirements for entry
into its police academy, Depot, in part to help fill the
gap left by hundreds of retiring police officers.
Recent news reports chronicle issues of understaffing
and excessive use of overtime across the country. In
Saskatchewan, the Minister of Justice is exploring
understaffing issues caused by vacancies.
VERNON DETACHMENT TODAY
Supt. Jim McNamara
(CHARLOTTE HELSTON /InfoTel Multimedia)
Supt. Jim McNamara says the city’s share of the North
Okanagan detachment presently has "57 officers in 56
established positions," however due to illness, injuries
and administrative leave, it is billing for 48
operational officers — nine less than its established
positions.
McNamara has said he does not believe chronic under
staffing is leaving police officers, or the public, in
danger. He said the detachment can re-deploy resources
throughout its five detachment areas, as needed.
However, it appears those detachments are experiencing
similar staffing pressures.
Because municipalities over 5,000 people have to pay for
their own police services, both Spallumcheen and
Coldstream budget a certain amount for officers in their
areas. A report from the Ministry of Justice on police
resources in 2014, the last year available, indicates
Coldstream has an authorized strength of seven
positions, and Spallumcheen three, roughly the same as
today. Police reports on the first nine months of 2016
show the detachment only billed Coldstream for five to
six positions, and Spallumcheen between one and 2.4.
Other detachments in the area are covered by the
province. According to figures from 2014,
the province
authorizes six positions in Armstrong, eight in Enderby
and three in Falkland. It also authorizes nine in
Vernon, for a total of 36 positions in the five
detachments, also roughly the same as today. To date in
2016, the detachment’s bill to the province has ranged
from 27 to 30 positions.
McNamara also said shift schedules and resources have
been adjusted to re-deploy general duty officers to peak
policing hours “with the intent of increasing service
levels to the public by decreasing response time to
priority calls and by increasing time available to our
officers for proactive policing.”
Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund recently affirmed his confidence
in the RCMP.
Despite McNamara's and Mund's assurances,
sources with
knowledge of the situation say the frontline officers
remain understaffed.
• Watch shifts at the Vernon detachment have fallen as
low as three roadable officers.
• The department suffers from chronic understaffing.
• Sources, who we trust and who have knowledge of the
situation, say understaffing is creating dangerous work
conditions for officers on the road.
That’s what our first story on chronic understaffing at
the Vernon RCMP detachment alleged. They remain entirely
unaddressed by Supt. Jim McNamara statement yesterday or
by the City of Vernon in its response Thursday.
Supt. McNamara alleges ‘significant inaccuracies’ in our
story. We have found one error in our reporting,
specifically the number of roadable officers.
He says: “If the city is being billed for 48 it means
that on average we've had 48 roadable officers providing
operational police services to the City of Vernon.”
That is a clear statement we have no basis to refute. It
is also the first time he gave us that direct figure of
roadable officers, despite our direct questions. We
extrapolated the number was 38 to 40. We have corrected
the information and noted the correction where it
appeared, as per our policy. While we don't take errors
lightly, it was immaterial to the story. We invite Supt.
McNamara to explain his allegation that the "significant
error" “compromises both officer and public safety.”
Supt. McNamara also says: “When (reporter Charlotte
Helston) contacted me with questions on staffing,
overtime and leave I provided her with detailed, factual
answers. She literally used less than ten words from
what I gave her.”
This is accurate.
Supt. McNamara provided plenty of information, some of
which we intended and still intend to use in further
reporting on the subject. However, much of the
information he has supplied did not aid our efforts to
understand the issue facing his officers and the
community of Vernon. He refused all requests for
interviews for this story.
We share Supt. McNamara's concern for officer and public
safety. We look forward to returning to the discussion
this story has provoked.
I am concerned by significant inaccuracies that could
compromise both officer and public safety, in the
November 30th Infonews article by Charlotte Helston on
RCMP staffing in Vernon.
To set the record straight, I do not believe chronic
under staffing is leaving our police officers or the
public in danger. Ms. Helston’s article is largely based
on information from anonymous sources. Unfortunately
anonymous sources, or those not working within our
environment, don’t have to account for misinformation
they're providing. When she contacted me with questions
on staffing, overtime and leave I provided her with
detailed, factual answers. She literally used less than
ten words from what I gave her.
Ms. Helston acknowledges the City of Vernon is paying
for 48 officers then states "estimates would indicate
the number of roadable officers is closer to 38 or 40."
During my public budget presentation to council on
November 30, I advised we are working to increase the
number of police officers to the 50 approved by council.
We presently have 57 officers in the 56 established
positions, however due to illness, injuries and
administrative leave, we're billing for 48 officers. If
the city is being billed for 48 it means that on average
we've had 48 roadable officers providing operational
police services to the City of Vernon.
Furthermore, ours is a regional integrated detachment
which re-deploys resources amongst our five detachment
areas as required. Vernon has established minimum
resource levels and our Watch Commanders have the
authority to call in overtime resources.
After a rigorous analysis of shifting demands, this year
we adjusted shift schedules and resources to re-deploy
general duty officers to peak policing hours. This will
decrease response time to priority calls and increase
time available for pro-active policing. Ms. Helston was
provided with this information and chose not to share
it.
Finally, as a result of the excellent work being done by
our officers, the numbers are going in the right
direction. From 2014-2015 there was a 2% decrease in the
overall Crime Severity index in Vernon and this year
from January to August we’ve actually seen a 5.9%
decrease in violent crime compared to last year.
Vernon has a police detachment of extremely competent,
capable and dedicated employees. I’m very proud of the
work they do to keep our community safe.
Supt. J.B. McNamara
Officer in Charge
Vernon/North Okanagan Detachment
VERNON - Understaffed police detachments can lead to low
morale among officers, less success reducing crime and
slower response times, according to criminologists.
Earlier this week, iNFOnews.ca reported on chronic
understaffing at the Vernon RCMP detachment, and Dr.
Irwin Cohen, the RCMP research chair at the University
of the Fraser Valley, says those issues could have an
impact on how officers do their work.
Cohen, who has studied several B.C. detachments and
surveyed officers during confidential interviews, says
the issue of morale is one of the main symptoms of
understaffing.
“Members are over-worked, they have low morale. They’re
understaffed to start with, so when a proportion of the
workforce doesn’t show up, due to maternity, paternity
leave or training, it does put a strain on the members
who do show up,” he says.
That strain could affect officer performance by reducing
the amount of time they can spend at crime scenes and
forcing them to be more reactive than proactive when it
comes to crime reduction.
“They are more likely to go call-to-call-to-call than do
all the things we know police can do really well in
reducing calls for service,” Cohen says.
Vernon saw nearly a nine per cent uptick in property
crime in the summer of 2016, compared to the same period
in 2015, including a significant increase in thefts from
vehicles and break-and-enters. Cohen is reluctant to say
low staffing levels are behind the spike, but says
officers who have time for proactive policing are
usually able to drive those types of crimes down.
“I would suggest having a sufficient number of members
who are dedicated to proactive policing, and having
connections between general duty and your property crime
unit and prolific offender program… so you can be
proactive rather than reactive, yes would have an impact
on property crime,” Cohen says.
Just as there are prolific offenders, Cohen says there
are three main ‘prolific problems’ that are driving
crime today: addiction, mental health and homelessness —
issues which involve the RCMP, but which also beg
attention from health authorities, governments, schools
and families.
Cohen’s research into RCMP detachments provides a
third-party look at how police stations are run, and
it’s had some tangible results. His study into the
Surrey RCMP recommended 47 additional general duty
officers, a call that came after it was revealed some 75
officers weren’t hitting the streets due to sick leave,
maternity leave and other absences.
But it’s not all about increased manpower, Cohen says.
It’s also how you use it. A number of detachments,
including Vernon, are doing something called a General
Duty Staffing Assessment to figure out the best use of
the resources they have.
Vernon RCMP Supt. Jim McNamara told iNFOnews.ca by email
Nov. 10 the assessment is currently underway but could
not say when it would be completed. The internal review
is conducted in collaboration with the district
commander, officer in charge, the general duty staffing
committee, and E-Division Business Intelligence Unit.
Cohen says it’s a good way to find out what staffing
levels are required in order for officers to respond to
the calls they get, while also finding time for
proactive policing.
“Say a police officer gets to do a minute-and-a-half of
proactive policing until the next call comes in,” Cohen
says. “Now say we’d like 30 per cent of (the officer’s)
time to be proactive. Then, what is the force-level
required so proactive policing isn’t done a minute at a
time, but so you have enough members on the road so that
for two hours a member can just do proactive policing.”
PERCEPTION OF SAFETY
Rob Gordon, professor of criminology at Simon Fraser
University, says understaffing boils down to two main
issues, and they both impact the public: Officer safety
and efficiency.
A former policeman, Gordon gives the example of having
two officers per car — which is not mandatory within the
RCMP, although officers are advocating for that to
change. While it costs more, Gordon says it solves the
problem of waiting for back up, and leads police to be
more courageous than they would be alone.
Another aspect is the perception of public safety.
“If you see more officers around, it makes people feel
more comfortable and improves a sense of social
well-being,” Gordon says.
But it’s not just perception. Short-staffed detachments
are likely to find themselves in a public relations
nightmare when citizens find themselves calling police.
“It’s the same sentiment that applies to hospitals;
nobody cares until they actually need that service, and
then when the need is there and they can’t get the
service, they are concerned about what’s going on,”
Gordon says. “It’s an abstract thing until they want to
use an emergency department and get there and can’t see
a physician for three hours.”
The RCMP serves the community, and in that respect
Gordon says citizens ought to have a voice in how that
service is delivered.
“People need to be alert to what’s going on and ask
questions of the person in charge of the detachment
about how the resources available are being used,” he
says. “Vernon probably would benefit from a police
committee. That’s a move that should be initiated by the
mayor, and council, in (conjunction) with the RCMP
detachment… in order to facilitate effective policing in
the city.”
VERNON - Vernon’s mayor is affirming his confidence in
the RCMP following a recent report by iNFOnews.ca into
staffing levels at the detachment.
Mund says in a media release council fully supports the
RCMP detachment in Vernon and the service they provide
to residents.
“We have complete confidence in their ability to
mobilize resources throughout the North Okanagan as
required,” Mund says.
Our story, ‘RISK IT OUT’: Chronic RCMP understaffing
leaving Vernon cops in danger’ reported the detachment
is short an estimated 15.7 per cent of its staff at any
given time due to vacancies. Our story reported that
watches are often left running short of members, putting
officers at risk.
The release from the city states there were ‘several
inaccuracies regarding staffing levels and caseloads’ —
including the number of active members on duty — that
could ‘lead residents to believe that the safety of the
community and the officers was at risk.’
However, it does not offer the number of active members
on duty, nor their caseloads.
Mund said the city budgets 50 funded officer positions,
and added that officer strength can vary from 48 to 56
positions. The iNFOnews.ca investigation, however, found
that the city is routinely only ever billed for roughly
48 officers. The city authorizes a maximum strength of
56 officers to provide for budgeting flexibility,
however at the end of the year it will only pay for a
maximum of 50 — not 56.
Mund noted there have been several high profile cases
handled by the RCMP this year, including an arson case,
an investigation into a shooting at the Green Valley
Motel, the murder of local man Jason Hardy, and numerous
investigations into child pornography cases. Mund also
said the RCMP has made concerted efforts over the past
several months to target escalating violence linked to
the drug trade.
It's unclear, however, what role the short-handed watch
complement played in those investigations.
“Superintendent Jim McNamara and Inspector Gord Stewart
have always been communicative to council and we
appreciate their transparency,” Mund said. “Under the
leadership of Supt. McNamara, the members have
demonstrated their capacity to adapt to shifting demands
in policing and to continue to provide optimal levels of
public safety.”
VERNON - As police officers assemble for the watch at
the Vernon RCMP detachment, they look around to see
who’s got their back for the next 12-hour shift.
It’s no minor concern. We all rely on police to save us
from dangerous situations, but who comes running for
police when they are in danger? Not long ago, a Vernon
RCMP officer could expect seven to nine other officers
on their watch ready to roll for an emergency, but not
anymore.
Sources tell iNFOnews.ca sometimes it's four or three.
Other times, just two other officers are on the street
to back them up.
They do the only thing they can do: 'Risk it out.’
That’s become a common refrain inside the RCMP as they
head out onto the streets to serve and protect a
population nearing 40,000 people. And it’s putting
officers in danger, sources say.
At any given time, a number of the detachment's officers
are on leave for injury, illness or administrative
leave. The Vernon detachment is authorized to have 56
positions, although it only has funding from the city
for 50 officers and must budget accordingly. Due to
roughly nine of 57 established officers currently on
leave (roughly 15.7 per cent of the workforce), there
are 48 roadable, operational officers. To make up the
difference, ‘road-able’ officers — those capable of
responding — often work overtime to cover shifts, adding
work and family stress to difficult situations. But they
can't always be relied upon to show up on their time
off, forcing watches to make do with what they have. And
while the situation reaches crisis levels in Vernon, our
investigation shows it’s part of a greater problem
within RCMP detachments across the country.
“YOU CAN GET SPREAD THIN REALLY FAST”
Dennis Connelly is a retired cop of 25 years who, when
interviewed at a Vernon coffee shop, still picks a seat
facing the room so he can see everyone. Much of his
career was spent in Ontario and the Yukon, but he served
as a general duty member in Vernon for a short spell
before retiring here in 2012.
He remembers shift minimums being roughly ten officers
to a watch back in his day; one sergeant, one corporal,
and roughly eight constables on the road. And you needed
each and every one, he says.
“You’ve got an accident on one end of the detachment
area, you get a fire at the other end, you get some
alarms going off at downtown stores, and then you get a
domestic over at someone’s house,” Connelly says. “It’s
happened where you have two domestics at two different
areas. Well, there’s four of your eight. Add a motor
vehicle accident, you’ve got two more. Then you’re
running two people watching the rest of the City of
Vernon. You can get spread thin really fast.”
And each one of those calls can carry unexpected risks;
domestic disputes are notoriously dangerous, as are
traffic incidents. Three years ago, in Kamloops, RCMP
Const. Jean-Rene Michaud made a routine traffic stop at
2 a.m. when the subject pulled a gun and shot him six
times.
The challenge comes when RCMP officers take maternity
leave, paternity leave, sick leave, are suspended, away
for training or off due to injuries. While other
employers, including private city police forces, are
compelled to make up for lost resources in the name of
safety, the RCMP doesn’t. And it is creating an
escalating cascade of new problems putting officers at
risk and leaving crimes unattended.
Members who are on leave still get paid and count as
established positions — technically they even remain
named to watches — but Connelly says the positions are
not filled until the officer returns.
“In the grand scheme of things, those people are still
on your watch. If someone asks ‘is your watch full?’ the
answer’s yes, but it’s not,” Connelly says. “They’re
still on your watch, but they’re not there for a year.
They’re not replaced.”
Instead, watches that are short due to soft vacancies
are typically filled on over time by remaining officers.
“Extra money is always a good thing, but when it
continues on for long, extended periods of time, it gets
to be you want your own time off,” Connelly says.
He’s seen officers become so overworked that calling in
sick or taking stress leave is used as an escape. That
in turn puts even more pressure on the officers who do
show up.
“Stress becomes an issue. You feel obliged to come in,
but it just impacts your life,” he says. “It kills
morale.”
Each officer is responsible for a caseload of files, and
Vernon has one of the highest officer caseloads in the
province, according to the Ministry of Justice. In a
comparison of municipalities with populations over
15,000 from 2014, officers in Vernon had a caseload of
84, second only to Fort St. John, which had 91. When
officers are on leave, not only do watches run short,
cops also have to take on extra case files.
Contrast the RCMP approach to Port Moody, which has an
independently run police service overseeing a population
just slightly below Vernon’s, where the detachment’s 51
members carry a caseload of just 20 files each.
According to a spokesperson for the Port Moody Police
Department, watches have a maximum strength of six and
an enforced minimum of four officers. That's in a city
with one-third the patrollable area and 6,000 fewer
residents.
Connelly, who worked as an RCMP recruiter, believes
staffing issues can in large part be traced back to a
shortage of officers country-wide, and the loss of
candidates to independent police forces.
“I think the allure of the red serge of the RCMP doesn’t
have the same impact anymore. People don’t want to work
in small communities, they don’t want to get transferred
and moved all over the place,” he says. “Unless things
have changed from when I retired, we fall further and
further behind every year.”
Operations at the Vernon detachment are not an open book
and we did not receive any specific information about
staffing levels from Supt. Jim McNamara, the officer in
charge. He would not publicly provide the total number
of general duty positions, nor the number of officers on
a watch, due to operational and officer safety reasons,
but when asked if things have changed since 2014, when
former Supt. Reg Burgess reported difficulty maintaining
48 operational members due to eight to ten members being
on medical or administrative status, McNamara
acknowledged the numbers remain consistent with previous
years.
MAYOR NOT CONCERNED
The city authorizes funding for each officer position
within its municipal bounds, but Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund
admits he knows little about what the city gets for its
money.
“All we know is there’s a certain amount they ask for
that we pay for…. That’s about the number we get, and
that’s all we know, because how they staff and all that,
we don’t get involved in that as politicians,” Mund
says.
He could not say exactly how many positions are
currently filled, or how many officers are expected, at
minimum, on watches.
He says the detachment has not asked the city for an
increase in funding since 2015, and he has not
personally heard of any staffing related issues.
“I’ve heard nothing. Nope, nothing,” Mund says.
There’s likely a good reason for that. Officers who
speak publicly can be fired and perhaps lose their
careers in RCMP Code of Conduct hearings for speaking
out publicly about the dangers they face.
When advised that staffing concerns had been expressed
to iNFOnews.ca, Mund said he couldn’t comment without
knowing where the information came from.
“I can’t say I’m concerned because people can say
anything,” he says. “I don’t know where the information
came from.”
Officially, the Vernon detachment has approval for 50
officers to cover the City of Vernon specifically,
though two positions have remained unfilled since last
year, meaning the city is paying for 48 officers.
The city’s chief administrative officer Will Pearce
confirmed the city provides funding for 50 officers, but
said that number is rarely if ever billed for due to
challenges with vacancies.
“In the RCMP, from the nature of the job, there is quite
a combination, some turnover (with) officers moving to
other roles or detachments for promotions, plus all the
usual stuff, maternity, paternity leave, sick leave….
That’s all fairly active in the RCMP,” Pearce says.
According to a report by the Ministry of Justice
released in 2015, the latest figures available,
authorized staffing levels at the detachment sharply
decreased by nine members from 2009 to 2014.
“I do know there was a run up in the number of positions
and authorized strengths due to a lot of activity —
negative activity,” Pearce says of the greater number of
positions authorized in 2009. “Council of the day said
we’re going to put more officers on the streets.”
In addition to the regular bill for 48 members, the city
also paid $331,487 in over time costs from April 2015 to
March 2016 but neither the city nor McNamara could be
specific about how that money was spent or why.
RCMP CHRONICALLY UNDERSTAFFED
Rob Creasser, a retired Mountie from Kamloops and
spokesperson for the Mounted Police Professional
Association of Canada, says staffing levels and officer
safety are a concern across the country, not just in
Vernon.
“Right now, the RCMP, we believe, is so critically
under-resourced it’s causing all kinds of other issues,”
Creasser says.
Detachments set minimum staffing levels for watches, but
Creasser says they are not enforceable. In non-RCMP
forces, Labour Codes and unions can help enforce
staffing levels for officer safety. The RCMP has no
union.
Instead, Creasser says, RCMP watch commanders try to
meet minimums, but are often forced to ‘risk it out’
when they can’t get enough people to cover the shift.
That’s cutting it close for officer safety, he says, and
it’s not theoretical. The RCMP was charged with four
counts related to equipment, training and supervision
under the Canada Labour Code following the fatal
shootings of three officers in Moncton, NB in 2014.
“There is no mathematical formula you can apply to say
it’s going to be slow tonight, or we can afford to not
bring in enough people….” Creasser says. “You should
have minimum manpower allotted and (it) should be
enforced.”
Another source, who cannot be named, put it more
bluntly.
“They (officers) are not getting the support they used
to,” the source says. “It is a huge safety issue. I
think someone is going to get injured here.”
— This story was corrected at 9 a.m. Dec. 3, 2016 to say
15.7 per cent of the Vernon detachment’s officers are
away on leave, leaving it with 48 roadable members. An
earlier version of this story stated 20 per cent were
off the job, leaving an estimated 38 to 40 roadable
members.
Today we find that the police have been secretly
investigating themselves.
We also discover that Kelowna RCMP superintendent
Nick Romanchuk has secretly left the service to
start his collection of a 25-year public pension.
[City's Top Cop Retires as External Investigation is
Launched, Sept. 28 Kelowna Capital News.]
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran tells us that there is a
wonderful partnership between the RCMP and the City
of Kelowna. Neither he nor our city council know
anything about these police secrets. We are told
that even Rob Mayne, who is the municipal bureaucrat
we pay a handsome salary to serve the taxpayers as
the director of protective services, is surprised by
the revelation of these secrets.
By far the largest portion of our property taxes is
paid to the RCMP every year. In return this
“partnership” delivers to the citizens a police
force peppered with secrets.
Did the B.C. attorney general know about the secret
investigations and top cop “retirement”?
Did Prime Minister Trudeau’s famously 'transparent'
politicians and civil service know what is going on
in Kelowna?
The very corrupt and immoral Cuba, Russia, North
Korea, Kelowna. Where do you live?
Alternative Approval Process Underway
The Regional Board has approved proceeding with the Alternative Approval Process
to confirm elector support before adopting the Crime Stoppers Conversion and
Establishment Bylaw. If least 10% of the estimated 157,812 eligible electors in
the Central Okanagan do not support establishing a regional Crime Stoppers
service, the Regional Board would not consider adopting the bylaw without first
putting it to a referendum. Those opposed to the bylaw have until December 2nd
to submit Elector Response Forms which are available at the RDCO office, 1450
KLO Road in Kelowna and at www.regionaldistrict.com. The existing Crime Stoppers
program was initially established in 1988 by the Regional Board as a
grant-in-aid service. The Board now wishes to convert the program to a regional
service at no extra cost to taxpayers.
Crime Stoppers Service Conversion
The Regional Board has given three readings to a proposed Crime Stoppers
Conversion and Establishment Bylaw. As well, the Board has approved using the
Alternative Approval Process to confirm elector support. The existing Crime
Stoppers program was initially established in 1988 by the Regional Board as a
grant-in-aid under the Statutory Letters Patent. The Board now wishes to convert
the program to a regional service delivery program. The bylaw will be submitted
for approval by the Provincial Government. Once approval is received, staff will
provide a report to the Board outlining details of the Alternative Approval
Process this fall. If least 10% of the eligible electorate does not support
establishing a regional Crime Stoppers service, the Regional Board would not
consider adopting the bylaw without first putting it to a referendum.
7.1 Crime Stoppers Service Program
Staff report dated July 5, 2016 outlined the requirement to convert the Letters
Patent, which was approved by the Province of BC in 1988 for the Crime Stoppers
Program, to an establishment bylaw. In terms of process, a bylaw requires
approval of the Board, the Province, as well as consent of the electorate. Staff
is recommending an AAP process. This converts a program which is already being
done into a formal bylaw service.
7.1.1 Participating Area Approval for the Entire Proposed
Service Area Alternative Approval Process (LGA Section 345) (All
Directors - Unweighted Vote - 2/3 of vote cast (LGA 342[4])
STACK/BAKER
THAT the Regional Board approve that participating approval for the Crime
Stoppers Service Conversion and Establishment Bylaw No. 1391 is to be obtained
for the entire proposed service area by Alternative Approval Process.
CARRIED Unanimously
7.1.2 Crime Stoppers Service Conversion & Establishment
Bylaw No. 1391 First, Second and Third Reading (All Directors - Unweighted Vote
Simple Majority- LGA 208.1)
BAKER/FORTIN
THAT Regional District of Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers Service Conversion and
Establishment Bylaw No. 1391, 2016 be given first, second and third readings and
forwarded to the Inspector of Municipalities for approval.
CARRIED Unanimously
Crime Stopper staff were introduced to the Committee. Crime
Stoppers updated its website this year www.crimestoppers.net. An overview was
provided. The specific pages were highlighted:
- Most Wanted - also published on other media outlets.
- Mobile friendly.
- Unsolved crime.
- Hot Recs - a take-off from hot cars. Recreational vehicles (boats, ATVs,
motorcycles, trailers).
- Missing persons
- News - information on issues such as 'End Gang Life'; Turn in the Tagger
- Become a Volunteer. The Board is volunteer based.
- Sponsors and Donation section.
- Background information of the program.
- Submitting a tip - talk, text, type. All tips are confidential and anonymous
should the tipster wish to be.
Discussion:
Does the new provincial registration for ATVs make a difference in recovery?
Hard to say, registration is fairly new.
- RDCO and the Society will be producing a news release advertising the new
site.
- Staff work with pawn shop and RCMP coordinator.
- CRA scam, rental scams - reported to the police. May be reported to the
Canadian anti-fraud site.
- When reporting crime how is the information disseminated? Tips go through RCMP
liaison media person. Crime Stoppers will put information on their website.
SINGH/BAKER
THAT the update on the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers website be received for
information.
CARRIED
One of the benefits associated with having a combined
municipal, provincial, and national police force, like
the RCMP, is the simple fact that no matter what the
issue or location, the RCMP has jurisdiction.
In the case of the operation of motor vehicles with
exhaust systems that do not meet established noise-level
standards, all we have to do is file the complaint and
the problem should be resolved.
The ongoing dog and pony show associated with an
increasing number of motorcycles and pickup trucks on
our streets and highways with exhaust systems designed
purposely to produce noise levels that borders the
obnoxious, has to stop — now.
The Okanagan is no longer a place to relax.
Every day, the air is filled with a constant roar,
produced by bikes and motor vehicles with radically
inadequate muffler systems.
Visitors are telling us the Okanagan Valley has become
the most obnoxious place to visit — anywhere.
A number of Canadian municipalities have committed to
addressing this development, and the good news is the
laws are in place, and they are as valid and enforceable
as the day they were written.
The bad news is our politicians will use every excuse
they can think of, to not enforce them, like they did
last year, and the year before.
Pro marijuana activist Dana Larsen speaking at a Kelowna
event Tuesday night. — Image Credit: Kevin Parnell
If marijuana activist Dana Larsen was looking for some
momentum to kick off a cross country tour to promote the
legalization of marijuana, he found it in a packed hotel
meeting room in downtown Kelowna on Tuesday night.
But by Wednesday night in Calgary Larsen had been
arrested and charged as his OverGrow Canada tour made
its second of 14 scheduled stops.
Larsen, 44, of Vancouver, was charged with one count of
trafficking marijuana and one count of possession for
the purpose of trafficking. He was released from custody
and is expected to appear in court on May 18.
Earlier this week in Kelowna, more than 120 people
crammed into a hotel room to listen to Larsen and to
receive the free cannabis seeds he had promised to give
away, asking people to plant them in a public place as
an act of civil disobedience and a way to urge the
federal Liberals to follow through on their promise to
legalize marijuana.
Following the meeting, as volunteers from his group
handed out the seeds, Larsen said he would be surprised
if police arrested him, even though it was technically
illegal what he was doing.
"It's true I'm breaking the law but it's like people
jay-walking to get here, it's that level of breaking the
law," he said. "Police are not going to come and drag me
away for giving away some seeds to people. It would just
be ridiculous so that's not going to happen."
And in Kelowna, RCMP did not attend the rally and
Larsen's tour called OverGrow Canada moved on to its
second stop in Calgary on Wednesday night. According to
media reports in Calgary, first a volunteer was arrested
and later Larsen was arrested as he handed out cannabis
seeds in much the same manner.
When questioned by the Capital News about why RCMP did
not arrest Larsen in Kelowna, RCMP media relations
officer Annie Delisle released the following statement.
"According to the
Controlled Drug and Substance Act (CDSA)…Non-viable
Cannabis seed, with the exception of its derivatives;
are not controlled under the CDSA," read the statement.
"RCMP detachments set enforcement priorities in
consultation with local government, partners and
citizens of the community. Individuals found to be in
contravention of the CDSA may be subject to
investigation and criminal charges in accordance with
Canadian Laws."
In Kelowna Larsen said the viability of the cannabis
seeds was one reason an arrest likely wouldn't be made.
"It's trafficking in marijuana under the law but they
have to be viable seeds and even though I'm telling you
they will grow, they will need to grow them and sprout
them and then say 'oh look they are viable' so it's a
lot of effort for them to prove I am giving away viable
seeds. It's just not worth the effort. Even if they
convicted me I would get a 100 dollar fine or something
so the amount of effort for the amount of result is not
worth anybody's time."
Larsen said the turnout in Kelowna was heart-warming and
showed there is a lot of interest in legalizing
marijuana.
"This was behind my wildest expectations in terms of the
turnout," said Larsen after the 90 minute meeting. "I
know there is enthusiasm about cannabis but having this
room packed and people standing in the hallway, that to
me is very heart-warming to see that level of support
and interest. I think it just shows how hungry
Canadians, and people in Kelowna, are for legalization."
Larsen is a well-known Vancouver-based cannabis activist
and founder of the Vancouver Dispensary Society, the
B.C. and Canadian Marijuana political parties as well as
Sensible B.C.
Following his arrest in Calgary he told the media that
he would continue his tour but would no longer be
handing out free seeds as that would land him back in
jail.
The Regional Board has received a number of reports
following scheduled reviews of eleven separate services. The Board supports the
continued service delivery model for the following regional and sub-regional
services: Solid Waste Collection, Crime Stoppers, Crime Prevention, False Alarm
Reduction and Victim Services.
Two of the services reviewed that are funded by
ratepayers in the two Electoral Areas are supported by the Electoral Area
Directors for continued delivery: Business Licensing and Unsightly Premises
Bylaw Enforcement. The two Directors support the continued delivery of Okanagan
Regional Library Services in the Electoral Areas while staff pursues concerns
about using the most accurate and reflective population figures to ensure a fair
proration of funding requisitions.
The Electoral Area Directors received the service
reviews for Noise Control Bylaw Enforcement, Building Inspection and Electoral
Area Fire Prevention and will meet with the Chief Administrative to discuss
service delivery options including potential withdrawal from the service.
*Note* Below is only a
snippet, please click link above for entire content
SUBJECT: RCMP Victim Assistance Program - Service Review
Purpose: To bring forward recommendations from the Governance & Services
Committee with regard to the service review for the RCMP Victim Assistance
Services Program.
Executive Summary:
The attached service review report was presented at the November 12, 2015
Governance & Services Committee meeting and the following resolution was
adopted:
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the RCMP Victim Assistance
Program.
CARRIED Unanimously
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the RCMP Victims Assistance Program,
Respectfully Submitted:
Brian Reardon
Chief Administrative Officer
==========================
SUBJECT: Crime Prevention - Service Review
Purpose: To bring forward recommendations from the Governance & Services
Committee
with regard to the service review for the Crime Prevention Services Program.
Executive Summary:
The attached service review report was presented at the November 12, 2015
Governance &
Services Committee meeting and the following resolution was adopted:
#50/15
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the
current service delivery model for the Crime Prevention Program.
CARRIED (Opposed: Carson)
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the Crime
Prevention Program.
Respectfully Submitted:
Brian Reardon
Chief Administrative Officer
===========================
SUBJECT: False Alarm Reduction Program - Service Review
Purpose: To bring forward recommendations from the Governance & Services
Committee with regard to the service review for the False Alarm Reduction
Services Program.
Executive Summary:
The attached service review report was presented at the November 12, 2015
Governance & Services Committee meeting and the following resolution was
adopted:
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the False Alarm Reduction
Program;
AND FURTHER THAT staff be directed to update the False Alarm Reduction Bylaw No.
1081.
CARRIED Unanimously
Further, the update to the False Alarm Reduction Bylaw has been completed and
adopted by the Regional Board at its December 7, 2015 meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the False Alarm Reduction Program.
Respectfully Submitted:
Brian Reardon
Chief Administrative Officer
===========================
SUBJECT: Crime Stoppers Program - Service Review
Purpose: To bring forward recommendations from the Governance & Services
Committee with regard to the service review for the Crime Stoppers Services
Program.
Executive Summary:
The attached service review report was presented at the November 12, 2015
Governance & Services Committee meeting and the following resolution was
adopted:
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the Crime Stoppers Program.
CARRIED Unanimously
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the Crime Stoppers Program.
Respectfully Submitted:
Brian Reardon
Chief Administrative Officer
The Administrator noted that establishment bylaws will be
reviewed as there are new sections in the Local Government Act that came into
effect January 1, 2016 that may apply to the bylaws.
e) RCMP Victim Assistance Program - Service Review (All Directors - Weighted
Vote)
Staff report dated January 4, 2016 outlined the 2015 service review for the RCMP
Victim Assistance Program.
BAKER/BASRAN
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the RCMP Victims Assistance Program.
CARRIED Unanimously
f) Crime Prevention Program (Region Wide Service [includes
WFN], except for Kelowna) (Stakeholders: West Kelowna, Peachland, Lake Country,
Central Okanagan East and Central Okanagan West Electoral Areas - Weighted Vote)
Staff report dated January 4, 2016 outlined the 2015 service review for the
Crime Prevention Program.
BAKER/DEJONG
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the Crime Prevention Program.
CARRIED Unanimously
g) False Alarm Reduction Program (Stakeholders: West Kelowna, Peachland, Lake
Country, Central Okanagan East and Central Okanagan West Electoral Areas -
Weighted Vote)
Staff report dated January 4, 2016 outlined the 2015 service review for the
False Alarm Reduction Program. A new bylaw was adopted by the Regional Board in
December 2015.
BAKER/FINDLATER
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the False Alarm Reduction Program.
CARRIED Unanimously
h) Crime Stoppers Program (All Directors - Weighted Vote)
Staff report dated January 4, 2016 outlined the 2015 service review for the
Crime Stoppers Program.
BAKER/GRAY
THAT the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model
for the Crime Stoppers Program.
CARRIED Unanimously
*Note* Below is just a snippet, please
click links above for entire content
Item
7.4 Victim Services Program Service Review
Purpose: To present a Service Review Report for the RCMP Victim Services Program
and confirm if there are any additional issues the Board wishes to have
addressed.
Executive Summary:
On January 16, 2014 the Board approved a Service Establishment Bylaw Review
Schedule that has every service the Regional District provides reviewed every
five (5) years. In 2015 the RCMP Victim Services Program is one of ten services
that are subject to review. In preparing this Service Review Report staff
reviewed the program's mandate, goals, and activities to confirm we are
achieving the Board's objective of providing efficient, cost effective services.
The primary objective of this program is to emotional support and practical
information to victims of all crime types including serious crime and murder, as
well as traumatic non-criminal code
incidents such as sudden death, suicide, fatal motor vehicle accidents, and
disasters. A change in management oversight has revealed several areas in need
of improvement which are currently being addressed. The program changes
identified in this report will change a good service into a great service.
This service review has been beneficial in identifying opportunities for
improvement and concludes that this program has a solid framework to meet its
current mandate and achieve its goals. In addition, a modest 0.25 FTE increase
for the West Kelowna RCMP Detachment in 2016 would provide much needed services
west of Okanagan Lake.
At this time staff would be pleased to answer any questions the Board may have
regarding this report and ask the Board if it has any other issues they would
like followed up on in this review.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the RCMP Victims Assistance
Program.
Item
7.5 Crime Prevention Program Service Review
Purpose: To present a Service Review Report for the Crime Prevention Program and
confirm if there are any additional issues the Board wishes to have addressed.
Executive Summary:
On January 16, 2014 the Board approved a Service Establishment Bylaw Review
Schedule that has every service the Regional District provides reviewed every
five (5) years. In 2015 the Crime Prevention Program is one of ten services that
are subject to review. In preparing this Service Review Report staff reviewed
the program's mandate, goals, and activities to confirm we are achieving the
Board's objective of providing efficient, cost effective services.
The primary objective of this program is to provide crime prevention advice,
support and leadership to our stakeholders, including Westbank First Nation to
promote safer communities.
The Crime Prevention Coordinator organizes 85 active volunteers and administers
the Citizen's on Patrol, Block Watch, Child ID, Subpoena, and Seniors Contact
programs. We are a victim of our own success in that our resources are stretched
to the limit so existing programs may suffer if a new initiative is deemed to be
a priority.
This service review concludes that this program is meeting its current mandate
and achieving its goals. At this time staff would be pleased to answer any
questions the Board may have regarding this report and ask the Board if it has
any other issues they would like followed up on in this review.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the Crime Prevention Program.
Item
7.6 False Alarm Reduction Program Service Review
Purpose: To present a Service Review Report for the False Alarm Reduction
Program and confirm if there are any additional issues the Board wishes to have
addressed.
Executive Summary:
On January 16, 2014 the Board approved a Service Establishment Bylaw Review
Schedule that has every service the Regional District provides reviewed every
five (5) years. In 2015 the False Alarm Reduction Program is one of ten services
that are subject to review. In preparing this Service Review Report staff
reviewed the program's mandate, goals, and activities to confirm we are
achieving the Board's objective of providing efficient, cost effective services.
The primary objective of this program is to reduce problematic false alarm calls
thereby allowing the RCMP to better serve and protect the public by reducing
time and resources being spent responding to false alarms. Since 2009 we have
seen a reduction of over 1,000 (= 20%) false alarms per year translating into
considerable savings in time and effort for the RCMP.
This service review concludes that this program appears to be meeting its
current mandate and achieving its goals. At this time staff would be pleased to
answer any questions the Board may have regarding this report and ask the Board
if it has any other issues they would like followed up on in this review.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the False Alarm Reduction
Program.
Item
7.7 Crime Stoppers Program Service Review
Purpose: To present a Service Review Report for the Crime Stoppers Program and
confirm if there are any additional issues the Board wishes to have addressed.
Executive Summary:
On January 16, 2014 the Board approved a Service Establishment Bylaw Review
Schedule that has every service the Regional District provides reviewed every
five (5) years. In 2015 the Crime Stoppers Program is one of ten services that
are subject to review. In preparing this Service Review Report staff reviewed
the program's mandate, goals, and activities to confirm we are achieving the
Board's objective of providing efficient, cost effective services.
The primary objective of this program is to create a partnership of the public,
police, media and the Regional District that provides a proactive program for
people to assist the police anonymously to solve crimes and, thereby, creating
safe communities. In 2014 the Kelowna Crime Stoppers Program received 1,298 tips
leading to 76 arrests and recovered $431,000 in lost property and seized drugs
valued over $750,000. Also, in 2015 this Regional Program won awards for Best
Crime Stoppers Program in BC and Best Crime Stoppers Coordinator in BC.
This service review concludes that this program is meeting its current mandate
and achieving its goals. At this time staff would be pleased to answer any
questions the Board may have regarding this report and ask the Board if it has
any other issues they would like followed up on in this review.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the Crime Stoppers Program.
Staff report dated November 3, 2015 outlined the
region-wide Victim Services program. The primary objective of this program is to
provide emotional support and practical information to victims of all crime
types including serious crime and
murder, as well as traumatic non-criminal code incidents such as sudden death,
suicide, fatal motor vehicle accidents, and disasters. There are three full-time
equivalent (FTE) staffing in the service. It was noted a modest 0.25 FTE
increase
for the West Kelowna RCMP Detachment in 2016 would provide much needed services
west of Okanagan Lake.
It was further noted that the Province has recently
completed a review of the provincial victim services program and West Kelowna
has been highlighted as a potential funding area. At this time, it is unknown if
further provincial funding would
be added to this program. Program staff are Regional District staff, not RCMP
members.
The community based program (Elizabeth Fry Society) focuses
on specific areas of support whereas the RCMP service supports all areas for
victims.
As Vernon RCMP respond to calls in the north end of the North Westside Road area
does the RDCO victim services staff support this area or does Vernon victim
services staff?
Action: Staff to clarify with Director Carson where North Westside area
residents receive their service from-Vernon or Kelowna.
OPHUS/BASRAN
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the RCMP Victims Assistance
Program.
CARRIED Unanimously
===============
7.5 Crime Prevention Program (Region Wide Service
[includes WFN], except for Kelowna)
Staff report dated November 3, 2015 outlined the Crime
Prevention Program servicing all areas (except Kelowna who offers their own
service). Westbank First Nation, under agreement with the RDCO, receives the
service.
One coordinator oversees an expanding program. There are 85 volunteers involved
in this program. The staff person is housed in the West Kelowna detachment
building, with plans to have a satellite office at the KLO Office for this
staff member to spend time here increasing exposure of the service and raising
the profile to the Electoral Area East residents which included a block watch
program into the Joe Rich area. Existing capacity of staffing would not support
too many increases in services in this program.
BAKER/FINDLATER
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the Crime Prevention Program.
CARRIED (Opposed: Carson)
================
7.6 False Alarm Reduction Program (Region Wide Service)
Staff report dated November 3, 2015 outlined the False
Alarm Reduction program.
The primary objective of this program is to reduce
problematic false alarm calls thereby allowing the RCMP to better serve and
protect the public by reducing time and resources being spent responding to
false alarms. Staff will be addressing
promotional opportunities for increased registration in the program as well as
advertising the service to residents. A new bylaw will be brought forward for
Board approval in the near future.
The question was raised regarding the number and a
breakdown of calls received from Central Okanagan East and Central Okanagan West
electoral areas.
Action: Staff to provide information to the electoral area directors.
BAKER/CARSON
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the False Alarm Reduction
Program;
AND FURTHER THAT staff be directed to update the False Alarm Reduction Bylaw No.
1081.
CARRIED Unanimously
===============
7.7 Crime Stoppers Program (Region Wide Service)
Staff report dated November 3, 2015 outlined the
region-wide Crime Stoppers program. The primary objective of this program is to
create a partnership of the public, police, media and Regional District that
provides a proactive program for
people to assist the police anonymously to solve crimes. This is a unique
program with Regional District staff providing the program.
STACK/BASRAN
THAT the Governance and Services Committee recommend the Board continue to
support the current service delivery model for the Crime Stoppers Program.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is looking
into the shooting death of 20-year-old Hudson Brooks
outside the South Surrey district RCMP office on the
morning of July 18.
It is the sixth investigation into an officer-involved
shooting that the IIO has instituted since April 1.
While police have said that Brooks was “suicidal,” he
apparently was not armed. The shooting has provoked a
wave of anger in South Surrey and many people say the
shooting was an over-reaction by police.
The IIO has emphasized the importance of getting witness
accounts of what happened on July 18 and particularly
wants to hear from civilians. Anyone with information,
or who witnessed the incident, is asked to contact the
IIO’s toll-free witness line at 1-855-446-8477.
Officer-involved deaths are deeply troubling. This
shooting took place just a few days before the lead RCMP
officer in the October 2007 Taser death of Robert
Dziekanski at Vancouver Airport, Benjamin “Monty”
Robinson, was sentenced to two years less a day for
lying to a public inquiry into Dziekanski’s death. Two
other RCMP officers were exonerated, but Robinson, who
has since resigned from the RCMP, joins Const. Kwesi
Millington in facing jail time for their role in what
has been deemed a cover-up.
The Dziekanski death at the hands of police, and the
subsequent Braidwood Inquiry into police actions, played
a key role in the establishment of the IIO. It has
proven controversial.
The most recent practice prior to the IIO had been to
have other forces investigate, with cases remaining “all
in the (police) family.”
Some current and former police officers are also angry
at the IIO over the laying of murder charges against
Delta Police Const. Jordan MacWilliams, who was part of
an emergency response team called to deal with a
distraught man outside the Starlight Casino in New
Westminster in November 2012. Mehrdad Bayrami was shot
and killed, and following an IIO investigation,
MacWilliams was later charged with murder.
After further investigation, the Criminal Justice Branch
of the ministry of attorney-general announced earlier
this month a stay of proceedings had been entered,
saying evidence in the case “no longer satisfies its
charge approval standard for the continued prosecution.”
This brings up the question as to why the charges went
ahead in the first place. Some feel the IIO was looking
for a scalp to hang from its belt to justify its
existence.
However imperfect the IIO is, the public needs to have
confidence in police at all times in order for our
system of law and order to function properly.
The IIO was designed to show that an outside agency,
which is not in any way beholden to police, can conduct
an impartial investigation into deaths or serious
injuries at the hands of police.
There have been too many questionable cases in recent
times in B.C. to leave investigations of police-involved
death or serious injury in the hands of police.
The fact that police (and the IIO) cannot lay charges in
B.C. is another safeguard. That duty is performed by
Crown counsel in this province. While some could argue
that the Crown erred in allowing the MacWilliams charge
to proceed at first, there’s something to be said for
taking a second look at the evidence.
It’s far too early to tell what the IIO will come up
with in the Brooks case. It will likely be months before
any results are known. However, having the IIO
investigate the matter is better than what used to take
place.
Frank Bucholtz is the recently retired editor of The
Langley Times. He writes weekly for The Leader. Reach
him at frank.bucholtz "at" gmail.com
Policing Liaison Services
031 - 911 Emergency Number (page 124): Surplus of $538,552 is mainly
attributable to net under expenditures in salaries with increased contract
services resulting from the transition to EComm. The Service Review was
completed in 2014 with the recommendation to contract PSAP services to EComm.
The changeover was implemented with the transition date of November 18, 2014.
The abandoned calls issue is going to be addressed through partnerships with
other parties who are also discontinuing with PSAP services from the RCMP and
contracting to EComm. In 2014, 182,940 9-1-1 calls were received. The reduction
in calls is the direct result of the transition to contract services; no calls
reported for Oct to Dec. 2014. Abandoned calls were 10% higher when comparing
Jan. 1 to Sep. 30, 2014 to the same time frame of 2013. Staff vacancies went
unfilled during the year with the anticipation of transitioning per the contract
services model. RCMP invoiced $461,909 for backfilling vacancies up to the
service transition date of Nov. 18 2014.
Completion of the Standard operations
Procedures Manual (SOP) has been delayed until the fire services are in
agreement regarding the
Water Rescue Policy SOP. The issue has been forwarded to the CAO
for assistance in decision making.
The option to text to 9-1-1 is still to be developed and implemented in future
years.
040 - Crime Stoppers (Page 126): Surplus of $25,825
resulted from under expenditure in salaries, vehicle operations, travel, and
office supplies. Tips received in 2014 were comparable to 2013. Drug seizures
are down significantly, which was likely due to early interpretation of the
Medical Marihuana laws which are before the Supreme Court. The value of
recovered stolen property rose significantly in 2014 with $425,150 in recoveries
compared to $110,311 recovered in 2013. Forty rewards were approved by the Crime
Stoppers Board for a total $7,250. Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers partnered
with the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Task Force (IMPACT) to
develop a theft prevention program for stolen ATV's, Snowmobiles, Boats, and
Trailers. They also partnered with FortisBC to deter the theft of energy from
illegal grow ops. The program assisted with the identification of two prolific
graffiti taggers resulting in arrest and charges. "Bag a Tagger" project is
going forward as a joint project with the City of Kelowna. The 2014 Fund Raising
Golf Tournament held September 12th at the Harvest Golf and Country Club raised
$3,600. Crime Stoppers Website received 73,903 visits in 2014. An increase from
2013 when the website received 48,494 visits. Additional fundraising is being
planned for 2015 to raise the anticipated $5,000 required to upgrade the Website
to be more mobile friendly.
041 - Victims Services (Page 1281: Surplus of $11,179
resulted from lower than anticipated grant monies and under expenditures for
training, salaries, and rent. New Clients were 87% adult with the remaining
thirteen percent consisting of seniors, youth and children. Of the new clients
72% were female.
In 2014, new clients numbered 734 compared to 661 in 2013. The average number of
ongoing clients increased from 180 in 2013 to 236 for 2014. The number of senior
clients significantly increased. In 2014 there were 59 seniors introduced as new
clients, compared to 35 seniors in 2013. 77% of Victim Services Clients are from
RCMP referrals; 47% of Callouts are due to sudden deaths.
There were 101 callouts in 2014, 76 callouts in 2013, 86 callouts in 2012, and
101 callouts in 2011.
Victim Services Program funding was approved by the Ministry of Justice for
2014/2015. Victim Services had 2 volunteers during the year with a total of 322
hours of training and services donated to the program.
042 - Regional Crime Prevention (Page 132): Surplus of
$27,626 resulted from under expenditures in graffiti eradication, vehicle
operations, and various programs with increase Alarm Control Revenue.
Volunteer recruitment down by 7%. RDCO - WFN Local Services Agreement Amendment
made to include Regional Crime Prevention services. The Bike Theft Prevention
Program was launched in the second quarter and the Theft from Auto Crime
Prevention campaign was also ongoing during the year. The Block Watch Crime
Prevention Program has 23 participating neighbourhoods including new programs
established in Lake Country and West Kelowna during 2014.
039 - Crime Prevention Sub-Program Alarm Control (Page
1341: In 2014, the number of False Alarms was 2,351. This is a 3.3% increase
from 2013 when there were 2,273 false alarms. The total number of registered
permits was 7,864 at December 31, 2014. There were 7,645 at December 31, 2013.
Many new registrations and inquiries have resulted from the advertising
campaigns run in the year. Staff met with alarm companies within the region to
improve communication and discover ways to reduce false alarms. A Bylaw
amendment, for removal of application form due to periodic needs to update, will
be forthcoming to the board in 2015.
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3A Budget Piechart And Budgets Summary - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3B Tax Requisitions And Rates - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3C Community Services Engineering - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3D Community Services Waste Management - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3E Community Services Planning - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3F Community Services Fire Protection - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3G Community Services Policing Services - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3H Community Services Inspections - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3I Parks Services - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3J Finance And Administration - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3K Corporate Services Administration - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3L Corporate Services Bylaw Enforcement - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3M Economic Development Commission - .wma ( MB)
March 12, 2015 audio of RDCO Governance and Services
Committee meeting only about Item 6.3N Regional Board - .wma ( MB)
It is too hard to find each section of the missing links
above so not going to break down the audio into sections for this meeting.
All the audio of this meeting are in the links above and below.
*Note* Below is just a snippet, please
click link above for entire content
6.4 Quarterly Measures Report - Year-Ended December 31,
2014
Staff report dated March 6, 2015 reported on the summary of
2014 activities for each individual service as set out in the 2014-2018
Financial Plan. The highlights for the year are not inclusive-there are too many
items to be covered for each
service. Multi-year comparative statistics by service/program are available in
the full report.
OPHUS/HANSON
THAT the Year End December 31,2014 Quarterly Program Measures report be received
for information.
Kelowna RCMP have expanded their area of service in the
Mission with the opening of the new KLO
Photo: Contributed
community policing office.
The new office replaces the decommissioned Mission
community policing office.
The Kelowna RCMP has operated a Community Policing
Office in the Mission since 1996 when the first office
was opened as an 800-square-foot addition to the fire
hall on DeHart Road.
In 2001 the Mission CPO was relocated to Lakeshore Road
for additional work space along with a large meeting
room which was used extensively for training.
Due to the age of the building it was deemed too costly
to renovate and maintain to meet RCMP security
standards, so a new location was acquired before the old
building was decommissioned last December.
Through a lease agreement between the City of Kelowna,
the Regional District of the Central Okanagan and the
RCMP, the new office has been opened at 100-1450 KLO
Road. This new location brings access to policing
services to the broader communities of Mission, Crawford
Estates and East Kelowna.
The new office provides for even more work space and
will be staffed by both municipal employees and RCMP
officers in addition to being a base of operations for
over 50 RCMP volunteers and various crime prevention
programs.
Services similar to those available at all Kelowna
Regional RCMP Detachment offices can be obtained at the
new KLO Community Policing Office but criminal record
checks can only be processed at the main Kelowna
Detachment, located at 350 Doyle Avenue, or in West
Kelowna.
KLO Community Policing Office hours of operation will be
from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding
holidays. Non-emergency services can be obtained by
attending 100-1450 KLO Road or calling the office at
250-470-0600.
9-1-1 should be used in case of emergencies where an
immediate response is required.
Kelowna has one of the most 'efficiently' staffed police
forces in Canada.
Between 2001 and 2012, police officers per 100,000
Canadians rose 8.7 per cent but crime rate declined by
26.3 per cent. According to a study by the Fraser
Institute, these years also saw growing expenditures and
a decline in criminal code incidents per officers. The
study says that real per capita police expenditures rose
45.5 per cent from 1986 and 2012 while actual incidents
per officer declined by 36.8 per cent.
The study does acknowledge that overall public spending
is increasing in Canada due to a more complex society,
and that police officers now deal with a wider range of
problem social behaviours other than just crime.
(Photo Credit: Fraser Institute)
The author of the study, Livio Di Matteo, looked at
police levels in cities from 2011 and earlier compared
to the city's population and predicted the amount of
officers per 100,000 people that the area would have in
2012.
The three cities in Canada with police numbers most
substantially below the study predicted they could have
were Kelowna, British Columbia; Moncton, New Brunswick;
and Ottawa-Gatineau, Ontario-Quebec.
While the study predicted that Kelowna would have 149
police officers per 100,000 people, they actually only
had 112 in 2012. The study therefore called Kelowna one
of three cities in Canada with the most efficient
staffing levels.
"As municipalities across the country struggle with
limited resources, more analysis should focus on the
nature and volume of police calls, the arbitration
process involving police unions, policing technology and
styles, and other factors that determine police staffing
levels,” says Di Matteo.
(Photo Credit: Fraser Institute)
Indeed, Kelowna is working to address these factors.
Police staffing levels in Kelowna have been an issue for
several years, but Constable Kris Clark pointed out that
actions have been taken to increase these numbers. A
report in 2012 addressed many of the factors above, and
an ongoing four-year agreement with the City of Kelowna
outlines a crime reduction strategy for the Kelowna RCMP
that includes 22 members to be added by 2015.
Part of this agreement requires frequent reporting by
the RCMP on crime levels and efficiency that justifies
their member statistic analysis. In the last year, the
RCMP has had to release crime statistics to the media
every two weeks, and the City of Kelowna has a web page
that reports on the crime prevention campaign.
City of Kelowna invests 24 per cent of tax dollars in
Police Services and “fostering a good reporting
relationship with the RCMP.”
According the Fraser Institute study, the cities with
the least efficient staffing levels were Saint John, New
Brunswick; Winnipeg, Manitoba; and Windsor, Ontario.
Victoria was also in the bottom 10.
*Note* This is only a snippet, please
click link above for entire content
Policing Liaison Services
031 - 911 Emergency Number
Effective November 18, 2014, the initial 911 call answering service will
transition from the Kelowna based RCMP Operational Communications Centre to E-Comm,
a service provider located in Vancouver.
After extensive review and negotiations, a five year agreement was signed by the
Regional Districts that continues with public safety as the top priority and
projects a 25% reduction in overall program costs.
Staff continues to collect information from Telus, information on the abandoned
calls issues and assists with numerous requests from E-Comm for the transition
of the service.
040 - Crime Stoppers
Although Tips are higher when compared to June 30, 2013, $398,000 in illegal
drugs seized and $27,000 in property value recovered to June 30, 2014, is
significantly lower than the over $3.8-million seized and $71,260 recovered to
June 30, 2013.
The Program continues to receive tips on illegal
grow operations but due to a recent court challenge no prosecutions are able to
be done; therefore, searches are not being conducted and seizures are not being
made. Crime Stoppers continues to provide Police with information on problem
houses where there is suspected trafficking of drugs such as heroin, crack
cocaine and crystal meth. These residences are also suspected of
trafficking in stolen property.
Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers has partnered with the Integrated Municipal
Provincial Auto Crime Task Force (IMPACT) and developed a program to help
prevent the theft and the recovery of stolen ATV's, Snowmobile, Boats and
Trailers. The recovery of two snow machines and a stolen trailer can be
attributed to this new program. The Board has also endorsed participation with
the FortisBC - Theft of Energy Crime Prevention Initiative. The Program will
receive anonymous tips regarding the theft of electricity and natural gas,
forwarding the information to the utility for investigation.
The Program has been successful in identification of two prolific graffiti
taggers who have since been arrested and are facing charges. One tagger was
responsible for approximately $250,000 in damage to various properties and
businesses in the District.
A number of tips were received on the Ausman and Aimee Parkes homicides that
were forwarded to the investigators. The Crime Stoppers Program is a part of the
Kelowna Detachment Crime Reduction Team and works closely with the Crime Analyst
by sharing information on prolific offenders and identifying problem crime
areas.
To June 30, 2014, Crime Stoppers Website received 40,425
visits and You Tube views numbered 3,386. Twitter and Facebook are used to
promote the program and a new initiative is underway to feature unsolved crimes,
cold cases, and missing persons files in a Crime Watch Magazine to be
distributed throughout the Central Okanagan. Sponsorship is being solicited for
this initiative. The 2014 Fund Raising Golf Tournament is scheduled to be held
September 14th at the Harvest Golf Club.
041 - Victims Services
New clients were 85% adult with the remaining fifteen percent consisting of
seniors, youth and children.
Of the new clients, 73% were female. To June 30,2014, new clients numbered 371
compared to 313 new clients to June 30, 2013. 76% of Victim Services Clients are
from RCMP referrals.
Victim Services funding application with the Ministry of Justice was approved
for the period April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 in the amount of $80,190. Per the
Ministry of Justice, Victim Services contract, protocols between the police
based victim services and the community based victim services program were
signed in January 2014. The protocols to formalize the referral process between
the police based and community based victim services programs were delayed due
to staff from the community based program not engaging in the process by the
July 2013 due date. The 2014 - 2015 contract year protocols to be reviewed.
Department of Justice Canada grant of $7,200 was approved for the Program to
host an awareness event, "Hidden Facets of Victim Issues and Worker Care" during
national Victims of Crime Week, April 6 - 12, 2014. A second grant in the amount
of $1,508.07 was received to assist with staffing costs.
042 - Regional Crime Prevention
An assessment of resource requirements was completed for the provision of Crime
Prevention Services to residents on Westbank First Nation lands. Draft letter
agreement and proposed RDCO - WFN Local Services Agreement amendment was secured
at June 30, 2014.
Successful Business Coupon Campaign for the Respect Program with coupons turned
over to School Resource office and Westbank First Nation to assist with youth
related programs. Research is complete for the Business Watch Program;
implementation has been delayed due to the availability of RCMP resources. A
Theft From Auto Education and Awareness campaign was held in March in Peachland,
West Kelowna and Lake Country. Theft From Auto Crime Prevention campaign was
held in June. Block Watch Crime Prevention Program has 21 participating
neighbourhoods at June 30, 2014, including a recently added neighbourhood in
Lake Country. The Bike Theft Prevention Program was launched during the second
quarter.
039 - Crime Prevention Sub-Program Alarm Control
The term position for the alarm program has ended and full time Alarm
Coordinator has returned from a Leave of Absence. Due to the numerous staff
changes since 2011 the Program is focusing on overall consistency in program
operations and service delivery.
To June 30, 2014, the number of False Alarms was 1,213. To June 30, 2013, False
Alarms numbered 1,123. The number of new permits issued at June 30, 2014 was
529, a 24% increase over the 400 issued at June 30, 2013. The Program ran an
advertising campaign in June 2014 to promote the false alarm program to
residents. The Alarm Coordinator worked with the RCMP and the security company
for a property acknowledged as having an excessive number of false alarms to
develop an
action plan to reduce the number of false alarms.
====================
Corporate Services:
002 - Administration
Strategic Community Investment Funds of $79,415 were received. SCIF funds
continue to minimize tax rate increases by supporting and offsetting general
corporate services administrative costs, and administrative projects which have
included Strategic Planning, ortho photo updates, service reviews, service
agreement reviews, energy efficiencies, building improvements and working toward
meeting economic and climate change targets.
Fringe Area Planning, Ellison Transit Service and Parks Service reviews are
underway. Air Quality review will also be completed as part of the
implementation of a regular service review 5 year cycle.
RESOC continues to review the Regional Rescue Service.
Final approval of Amendments to Westbank
First Nation (WFN) Agreements for inclusion in Crime Prevention, Economic
Development Commission and Air Quality Program services are under consideration
by WFN. RCMP Community Policing Office leased space in Administrative offices
main floor effective spring 2014. Reporting to the Director of Community
Services, the Fleet and Facilities Manager position was filled effective
September 8, 2014.
September 11, 2014 Regional District of Central Okanagan Governance
and Services Committee Meeting Minutes
Minutes of RDCO's Governance and Services
Committee are not published to RDCO's website until after being
adopted at the following meeting which would be October 9, 2014.
If the minutes are not published here yet, you can check
RDCO's website to see if they are published there yet. If
you wish to have a copy of the minutes before this date, you can
request a copy from RDCO who will have the document ready at their
office to pick up within 7 days.
RCMP
slammed Castanet.net - by Contributed | Story:
120541 - Aug 6, 2014
Yesterday my husband and I noticed a whole bunch of
police vehicles gathering down our street. We live
on a dead end road in East Kelowna.
So of course we were curious and stood and watched they
were quite a bit down the street so I grabbed a pair of
binoculars. They started to walk to the end on the road
past our house. A police woman came over and ordered us
to go into our house.
We were thinking it was very serious for this to happen
and we did as ordered. Later I find out that at the
trailer park at least 400 metres from the outer edge to
our house had a distraught woman threatening to harm
herself.
We were in no danger. There was no reason except
arrogance from the police to order us on our own
property to go inside our house. The other neighbours
were not told to go in, they just got pissy because I
had binoculars and looked at them.
These are the arrogant bullies who give the police dept.
a bad name, shame on you!
Cathy S.
It has happened to us a couple times too, for no reason at
all but that the RCMP members didn't want to be analysed.
This just gives us more reason to want to analyse the RCMP,
and take out our video cameras.
TORONTO – As a paramedic responding to emergency calls,
Jim Harris says he often saw people going through the
“worst day of their life.”
The former frontline paramedic was on the job for two
decades. First responders – police, paramedics,
firefighters – come across violence, substance abuse,
and severe health emergencies on a day-to-day basis.
“You have to go into situations that often times are
some of the worst days of the individuals we’re
treating. [First responders] are asked to do this daily,
it can’t help but affect you over time,” Harris, now a
manager of paramedic training programs at Lakeridge
Health, told Global News.
In the past 10 weeks, 13 Canadian first responders
reportedly killed themselves, according to Tema Conter
Memorial Trust, an organization that promotes mental
health awareness among Canada’s emergency workers.
Those who took their lives were a mix of police
officers, paramedics and federal corrections officers.
Now, former frontline emergency responders and the
organizations they represent say they aren’t surprised
by these reports on the recent string of deaths.
They say that training in recognizing mental health
issues is bare bones, and the resources aren’t
sufficient.
Mental health support for first responders varies
depending on where you live, according to Dwayne Forsman,
who represents the Paramedic Association of Canada.
Toronto Emergency Medical Services – the largest EMS
service in the country – is the only service that
provides its frontline workers with a dedicated staff
psychologist, for example.
Other health authorities filter their first responders
in need to the regional mental health professionals, but
they may not understand the intricacies involved with
their line of work, Forsman said.
“You might go to a psychologist who really doesn’t
understand what it is that you do. In our view, there
needs to be dedicated staff – not simply on retainer –
but attached to the service, who appreciates what goes
on and is talking to people whether they need the help
or not,” Forsman said.
He’s a former Winnipeg paramedic with over 37 years of
experience in the field. During his training on the job,
educators quickly skimmed over mental health issues that
may come up. Pamphlets, business cards and counselling
information was doled out. It wasn’t revisited again
throughout Forsman’s tenure.
“It becomes one big glob of information, so these things
tend to get lost in the conversation as you’re wide-eyed
trying to take it all in. Then the expectation is that
you just know where to go if something happens,” he
said.
Even if education on mental health and coping mechanisms
were built into the training curriculum, the experts
wonder if new frontline workers would be interested in
the information.
There are also EAPs (employee assistance programs),
debrief teams and peer support groups, according to
Harris.
With EAPs, employers enlist the help of a third party
service so first responders can speak to counsellors
anonymously about issues they may be dealing with. It
doesn’t have to be about mental health either – staff
can call about financial woes, marital issues or discuss
a trauma they encountered that day.
With debrief teams, colleagues from various sectors are
deployed to speak to you following an extreme incident.
That’s Harris’ concern – while there’s emphasis on care
following a major shooting, a colleague’s death or
injury or large emergency events, the daily buildup of
stress is overlooked.
“There’s very little in place in most organizations to
provide support or even acknowledge the cumulative
stress issues. It’s that stress that’s affecting more
people,” Harris said.
Dr. Jeff Morley, a registered psychologist and Tema
mental health officer, says that in his practice, he
typically comes across three issues first responders
present with.
Some patients deal with primary trauma – when they’ve
been physically assaulted or threatened, secondary
trauma – when they’ve had to deal with unfixable trauma,
and organizational stressors, which has to do with
workplace harassment, bullying or feelings of betrayal.
Depression is the most common diagnosis for first
responders, according to Morley. Addiction issues and
sleep disorders follow.
Morley is a veteran RCMP officer with 23 years in the
field in B.C. before he became a psychologist. Being
acquainted with both worlds offers him a leg up when
he’s treating patients.
“First responders are a very mistrusting group, and
they’re hyper vigilant so they need to find a
psychologist they can trust and know the culture,” he
said.
What’s critical is resources that are delivered in a
timely manner, he suggests.
Emotional responses are doled out in the moment, Morley
explained. When your son scores a goal at the soccer
game, you cheer. When your grandmother passes away, you
cry. But first responders on the job at the most grisly
scenes have to keep their composure.
“They have to go into work mode, which is fine, but to
keep these folks healthy, you have to get that emotion
out as soon as they leave that scene,” Morley suggested.
Instead, they’re whisked off to respond to the next
call, and the trauma they encountered isn’t fully
processed and addressed.
In Morley’s case, psychologists were readily available
but his superiors knew who was going for treatment. He
said that employees feared the stigma, wondered if their
jobs were in jeopardy or if they’d have to take time
off.
Toronto EMS says that it has “open conversations” with
employees about their mental and physical health. It
also provides support based on the latest, best
practices, including access to a full-time psychologist,
a service physician, peer support teams on call 24/7 and
debrief teams.
“Toronto EMS takes a proactive, and therefore preventive
approach, to health and wellness in all areas of our
service, including the maintenance of mental health,”
its superintendent of public information said in an
email.
Durham Region police did not yet respond to comment.
There may be room for improvement, but the experts are
certain first responders’ employers are on the right
track.
When Harris began his career as a paramedic 30 years
ago, there were expectations of being stoic.
“Nothing bothers you and we don’t talk about things, we
make jokes about them and that’s how we deal with it.
Many paramedics struggled throughout their career with
issues because of stress buildup,” he told Global News.
Now, with mental health thrust into the forefront, it’s
an issue organizations are forced to address. He
suggests a cultural shift needs to happen in the
profession, the same way mental health stigma needs to
be shed in other parts of society.
VANCOUVER - Vancouver police dubbed their department's
new puppies as the "cutest crime fighters" even before
launching a dog-naming contest for schoolchildren. Wayne
Gretzky once posed with the Edmonton force's canine unit
on a Christmas card.
But the common strategy for connecting with the
community is hardly warm and cuddly for a Vancouver
legal advocacy group that issued a report concluding
dogs are the leading cause of injury at the hands of
police forces across British Columbia.
"Promotion, propaganda, whatever you want to call it,"
said Douglas King, a lawyer with the society. "They're
using the animal side of the dog and the affectionate
side of the dog to cover what they really are, which is
tools that have the capacity to be deadly weapons."
Pivot's three-year study released Thursday examined the
use of dog squads among municipal forces and the RCMP.
It said B.C. is alone in Canada when it comes to lacking
regulations around the deployment of police dogs to help
apprehend a suspect.
The group tallied data from the RCMP and the Office of
the Police Complaints Commission, finding that at least
490 people were bitten and injured by police dogs
between 2010 and 2012. It also said the harm inflicted
during a takedown charted highest in Vancouver, followed
by Abbotsford, and was lowest in Saanich and New
Westminster.
Police departments with the lowest prevalence of bites
appear to provide higher levels of training, said King,
the report's lead author. Some protocol suggests that
dog handlers should call out a warning before releasing
an animal, he said, but instead the report found there
are no policies stipulating when a dog should be used.
The report, which includes interviews with victims, said
dogs have sometimes been used even in cases of very
minor crimes that may not involve any charges.
In B.C., the majority of forces train police service
dogs with a method called bite-and-hold, as opposed to
the other leading technique that simply sees the dog
circle and bark, the report said.
"Our long-term goal here is to get to a place where all
the departments are like the best departments, that best
practices are being used across the province," King
said.
The report recommended standardizing record-keeping that
tracks details of dog use and putting restrictions on
how the dogs are deployed.
Andy Rowe, 51, was a drug addict in March 2007 when he
was attacked by a police dog in a Langley, B.C., parking
lot after he stole a DVD from a store.
"It was like a movie. A wild animal attacking you,
ripping your face off, biting your ear off, puncturing
your skull and hearing Velcro tear — and it's actually
your flesh that's tearing," the Surrey resident said.
"The dog was deployed as a weapon."
The provincial government struck a working group last
year to survey police dog regulations, but has not
released information on its status.
A request for an interview resulted in a short statement
from Justice Minister Suzanne Anton.
"Police dogs are an important, effective policing tool
but like any tool, they must be used consistently and
effectively," Anton said, adding the province is in
talks to finalize provincial standards with a focus on
"appropriate deployment."
RCMP spokesman Sgt. Rob Vermeulen said the force will
continue to participate in the provincial review while
also "continuously researching best practices." He said
the RCMP already reports all uses of force.
Owen Court, spokesman for the Independent Investigations
Office, which investigates police-involved deaths and
injuries, said the office takes on dog-bite cases only
when they meet the severity threshold.
"It's been our experience that police agencies err on
the side of caution and over-report cases to us," he
said.
Vancouver Police declined to be interviewed, but a
spokesman said the department was aware of Pivot's
concerns and noted the group filed a policy complaint on
police dogs in 2011.
The group's current report states the Vancouver dog bite
rate is 14.75 bites per 100,000 people, or 22 per cent
more bites than all other regions combined in B.C.
Minutes from a January 2012 meeting of the Vancouver
Police Board show the policy review committee concluded
that there was "rigorous accountability in place" and
that no changes were required.
*Note* This is only a snippet, please
click link above for entire content
The creation of the Independent Investigations Office (IIO)
profoundly changes the way police in British Columbia are investigated as it is
mandated to conduct investigations into police-related incidents of death or
serious harm in order to determine whether or not an officer may have committed
an offence. Incidents of serious harm include injury that may result in death,
may cause serious disfigurement or may cause substantial loss or impairment of
mobility of the body as a whole or of the function of any limb or organ.
The IIO's jurisdiction extends to, municipal constables and
members of the RCMP in BC, the Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police and BC Transit police,
both on and off duty and Special Provincial Constables.
The IIO believes that the best way to inform communities
about our work is to meet them.
To achieve this goal, the IIO has developed a Community
Engagement strategy that extends through 2015. This strategy commits IIO staff
to attending community meetings across the province to ensuring that communities
are well informed of our mandate, operations and investigative structure and to
answer any questions that those attending may wish to ask.
The Chief Civilian Director Richard Rosenthal of the IIO
will be presenting.
5.1 Richard Rosenthal, Chief Civilian Director -
Independent Investigations Office of BC re: Update on the Investigations Office
The presentation was moved to the end of the agenda.
===============
5.1 Richard Rosenthal, Chief Civilian Director -
Independent Investigations Office of BC re: Update on the Investigations Office
Richard Rosenthal provided a review of the creation of
the Independent Investigations Office (110) which is mandated to conduct
investigations into police-related incidents of death or serious harm in order
to determine whether or not an officer may have committed an offense. The 110 is
attending communities across the province to ensure the communities are well
informed of the mandate, operations and investigative structure.
Mr. Rosenthal noted:
• His office is trying to get out and educate 'before something happens'. Want
to ensure the public understands there is an organization which handles these
events (on and off duty incidents).
• Investigations would occur when a police act results in death or an injury
that may result in death, mobility impairment. Investigations do not occur due
to a complaint against the police, it must be a critical incident.
• Criminal code standards are used. Decisions are independent of government.
Investigative reports are forwarded to Crown counsel who decides on next steps.
• The office is there to ensure accountability and transparency.
• The Director is appointed to a five year term with the possibility for one
reappointment (10 year maximum). The Director cannot have served as a police
officer.
ZIMMERMANN/OPHUS
THAT the Regional Board receive for information the update on the BC
Investigations Office by Richard Rosenthal, Chief Civilian Director -
Independent Investigations Office of BC.
Some forgotten groups are having the spotlight turned on them during
an event to mark National Victims of Crime Awareness week.
With funding provided by the Department of Justice Canada, the
Central Okanagan RCMP Victim Services program is hosting a series of
awareness sessions on April 9th and 10th at the Best Western Hotel,
2402 Harvey Avenue.
The manager of Police Services for the Regional District says the
theme of the event is ‘Hidden Facets of Victim Issues and Worker
Care’. Cary Berger says the topics presented during the four
sessions raise awareness of those people impacted who are often
overlooked as victims of crime and for individuals who are caring
for those who have been victimized.
One awareness session, will provide information on unresolved trauma
and grief. Those registered will have the opportunity to hone their
personal ability to care for people who been victimized through
unexpected loss.
“Two of the sessions” she says “will focus on male victimization
including male victims of domestic family violence and male
survivors of sexual abuse. This is a topic that is often hidden and
misunderstood and deserves much more public attention.” Don Wright
from the B.C. Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse will
provide training for both of these sessions. Mr. Wright maybe
reached at 604-682-6482 for further information.
She adds, “The fourth awareness session will focus on the needs of
worker care. Support workers may encounter issues with unresolved
trauma or grief and can suffer effects from vicarious trauma. It’s
important that service providers and co-workers are aware of what is
taking place around them and to explore areas in mitigating these
effects.
There has been an overwhelming response to the sessions and they are
now full; however, media is invited to attend. Information on the
dates and times of the training sessions along with a registration
form can be found on the RDCO website,
Victim Services page.
There were 8,856 police officers in British Columbia as of May 15,
2013, a rate of 193 per 100,000 population. Most (6,218) of them
were members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The remaining
2,638 worked for municipal police services. Total expenditures on
policing in the province were $1.5 billion.
Nationwide, there were 69,272 police officers in Canada, or 197
police officers per 100,000 population in 2012. Manitoba (213) and
Saskatchewan (208) were the provinces with the largest police
presence, while Nova Scotia (160) had the lowest ratio.
Among metropolitan areas, Thunder Bay (189), Winnipeg (189) and
Regina (185) had the largest number of officers per 100,000
population. Victoria (153), Vancouver (148) and Abbotsford-Mission
(144) had lower rates. Data Source: SC, Catalogue85-002-X
There were 14,004 female police officers in Canada in 2013, making
up 20% of the total police force. This compares with 16% a decade
earlier and just 8% in 1993. British Columbia (22%) and Quebec (24%)
were the provinces with the highest proportion of female police
officers. Data Source: SC, Catalogue 85-002-X
Compared to 14 other “peer” countries, Canada has a relatively low
police strength. Finland (152 police officers per 100,000 population
in 2011) and Norway (158) have consistently had the lowest police
strength among these nations. Canada (202) was ranked fourth lowest
in 2011, ahead of Denmark (195). The US (223) also had a relatively
low rate compared to other countries. Italy (458), Austria (328) and
Ireland (307) were the peer countries with the largest number of
police officers relative to the population. Data Source: SC,
Catalogue 85-002-X
The Regional Board has endorsed a new one year program with the Central
Okanagan Crime Stoppers Society for the Fortis BC - Theft of Energy Crime
Prevention Initiative. As a part of the program, Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers
will receive anonymous tips regarding the theft of electricity and natural gas
from other Crime Stoppers programs in the Fortis service area, forwarding the
information to the utility for investigation. Once complete, the result of the
investigation will be forwarded from Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers to the
originating Crime Stoppers program.
8.1 Proposed 2014 Operational Agreement with Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers
(All Directors - Unweighted Vote)
Staff report dated January 27, 2014 outlined that the Central Okanagan Crime
Stoppers program has been approached by BC Crime Stoppers Society to be the
single-point of contact for the transfer of information to Fortis BC on behalf
of the Society. The transfer of information will involve theft of electric
energy and natural gas. The program would receive $2,000 in funding to assist in
offsetting operational costs. The impact to the program is expected to be
minimal and after one year staff will conduct a review of the initiative and any
impact.
FIELDING/OPHUS
I THAT the Board support the Theft of Energy Crime Prevention Initiative with
Fortis BC, BC Crime Stoppers Society, and the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers
Society;
AND FURTHER THAT the Regional District enter into a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers Society in support of the Fortis Theft
of Energy Crime Prevention Initiative for a one-year term.
CARRIED Unanimously
=====================
Chair Hobson noted that Bruce Smith received an award from Crime Stoppers for
his continuing service as the voice for their Mug Shot program--the voice that
fugitives fear! Congratulations Bruce.
West Kelowna council learned Tuesday it, along with other
municipalities throughout the province, will likely be paying
thousands of additional dollars for costs associated with the nearly
billion-dollar, 819,807-square-foot "Green Timbers" RCMP E Division
headquarters that opened earlier this year in Surrey.
Brad Lanthier, manager of contract policing with E Division's
Finance - Corporate Management Branch, gave council a customized
2012/13 review and spoke about potential upcoming costs.
Admitting the contingent cost of $1,200 per member was "by far the
least popular part" of his presentation, Lanthier explained the
price tag is an accommodation charge for administrative members
occupying space at Green Timbers.
According to a news release issued by the Union of B.C.
Municipalities earlier this year, the province is in the process of
negotiating the cost of Green Timbers with the federal government.
In the 2013/14 RCMP Financial Plan projections, there is an
estimated budget allowance of $1,200 per regular member that has
been built in; however, that number could change depending on
negotiations.
With 23 regular members in West Kelowna's force, that estimate would
mean the district would be charged $27,600.
According to Tom Wilson, communications supervisor for the City of
Kelowna, Kelowna currently has 177 RCMP regular member positions. At
$1,200 per member, the cost associated with Green Timbers could be
approximately $212,400 for the city.
The UBCM release also noted, except for the location, the province
was not consulted in the decision to build Green Timbers.
"Our taxpayers need to understand $1,200 per member for an office
building in Surrey is what our expected annual costs (could) be.
Maybe it will be less, maybe it will be more," said West Kelowna
Coun. Duane Ophus.
Lanthier noted there is a good chance the actual cost will be lower.
"I really have to stress that the $1,200 is a contingent amount. I'm
not privy to the discussions, so I don't want to say whether it will
be less, but I would say that $1,200 is on the high side of an
estimate," said Lanthier.
West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater thanked Lanthier for the
presentation and said, overall, the community is satisfied with the
efforts of local Mounties.
"This community is very happy with the RCMP service we get," said
Findlater.
This was a Director Item so nothing is mentioned in the Agenda about West
Kelowna-federal funding of police officer recruitment fund, prisoner cost
recovery
This was a Director Item so nothing is mentioned in the Agenda
about West Kelowna-federal funding of police officer recruitment fund, prisoner
cost recovery
It was noted that various directors will be attending
the Union of BC Municipalities Convention next week in Vancouver. The Southern
Interior Beetle Action Coalition will be hosting a discussion on the rural BC
project. Various resolutions have been put forward by member municipalities:
Kelowna-noise bylaw resolution; West Kelowna-federal funding of police officer
recruitment fund, prisoner cost recovery, and extension of municipal grow op
bylaw provisions to regional districts.
*Note* Below is only a snippet, please click link above
for entire content
The June 2013 payment installment will total $53.5 million, consisting of $28.4
million for the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program to help municipalities
enhance policing
and community based public safety programs, and $25.1 million for
Small Community and Regional District Grants supporting local governments to
provide services in areas with smaller tax bases.
For your Regional District, this means
$56,790
was transferred to your account on or before June 28,2013.
6. CORRESPONDENCE
6.1 Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development re: Receipt of
Strategic Community Investment Fund (Regional District Grant-$56,790) for
information only (All Directors - Unweighted Vote)
Staff noted the funds go into the administration budget to offset administration
overhead recovery and upgrades to the building. In March 2013, $22,625 was
received-the total received in 2013 is $79,415.
BAKER/GRAY
THAT the correspondence from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural
Development confirming approval of the Strategic Community Investment Fund
(Regional District rant of $56,790 be received for information.
CARRIED
Speeding drivers are helping fatten the coffers of local
municipalities.
The province has announced its latest grants for Kelowna, Lake
Country and West Kelowna from the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing
program.
While the municipalities already knew how much they would be getting
for this year, 2013 and 2014 thanks to a change is the funding
program by Victoria last year, the latest instalments include $1.2
million for Kelowna, which will get a total of $1.9 million this
year, $359,737 (including $285,596 from the province's Small
Community and Regional District Grant program) for Lake Country, for
a total of $596 million from both programs this year, and $68,732
for West Kelowna, part of a total for 2012 of $265,000.
The annual totals includes partial prepayment amounts coming for in
2013, said Lake Country chief financial officer Stephen Banmen.
He said while the change to the three-year guaranteed amount does
not make a difference budget wise, it does give the municipalities
"certainty" when it come to financial planning.
"It mean's there is no guessing," he said.
Unlike Kelowna and West Kelowna, Lake Country uses the money from
the traffic fine revenue grants to help pay the total cost of
policing in the municpality. If the amount was to drop, a tax
increase would be needed to make up the difference if the
municipality wanted to maintain the same level of service.
Both Kelowna and West Kelowna use the traffic fine revenue grant
money to pay for specified aspects of policing, such as crime
prevention in Kelowna and the cost of an RCMP liaison officer and
auxiliary officers to conduct traffic enforcement in West Kelowna.
In B.C., municipalities with more than 5,000 residents pay 90 per
cent of policing costs, with the province picking up the other 10
per cent. As a result, policing is often one of the biggest single
costs in their budgets.
In addition the money for the municipalities, the Central Okanagan
Regional District will receive $102,040 from the province's
Strategic Community Investment Fund, which allows communities to
invest in their own priority projects.
The Small Community and Regional District Grants assist local
governments in providing basic services,while the traffic fine
revenues help municipalities pay for police enforcement costs.
The grants come from ticket fines and court-imposed fines on
violation tickets, and the amount of money a municipality receives
is based on its contribution to total municipal policing costs.
Policing costs
Web posted on Saturday, 01 December 2007
Small Okanagan towns have a looming tax to add to their costs on the horizon.
Towns like Osoyoos, Oliver and Peachland will have to pay 70 per cent of their
policing costs in 2009, when the federal government says they will have reached
more than 5,000 residents. Last year, those communities paid nothing, and were
covered by the province. Osoyoos plans to fight the decision, while Peachland's
council has been planning for the change for several years.
click notice to read larger print
This police tax has already been placed on one rural property just North of
Fintry. This notice was included in the same envelope as the rural
property tax notice (bill) for 2007.
Police Tax charged to Rural Property Tax Bill for Westside of Okanagan Lake
Director Given noted in follow-up to the Crime Stoppers presentation to the
Board on the 'Fit for Defence' program that had been presented to School
District No. 23 middle school students, the School District has confirmed that
it was a successful program and that they are looking to train School District
staff to be trained and implement the program themselves. The program is one of
other programs for anti-bullying in the District.
5.2 Gerry
Guiltenane, Coordinator - re: Crime Stoppers Program Update
Gerry Guiltenane addressed the committee, providing an update on
Crime Stoppers
• Crime Stoppers Board consists of 13 board members.
• 2013 wrapped up of 25 years of operation in the Central
Okanagan.
• There are two paid positions for the program.
• Another successful year for a number of their community
programs: unsolved crimes, Kelowna's Most Wanted, mug shots,
tips from the public - web-based and text. • Over $10 million in
drugs were seized last year.
• Working with UBC-O on some website development to improve the
look and functionality of their website.
• Major event - 'fit for defence' - an anti-bullying program in
the school district
• Annual golf tournament funds go to pay for rewards and
operation of society.
• One of the most successful programs has been the mug shot
program.
• Over 300 tips so far this year. 14 wanted persons arrested to
date this year.
Discussion:
-The question was raised regarding what type of funding are you
looking for the 'Fit for Defence' program? $40,000. Crime
Stoppers funding is no longer available so the program will stop
but the Society continues to look for opportunities to fund the
program.
-Are we scratching the surface in drug seizures? Treading water!
What is the current drug of choice:
marijuana is the easiest
to get, but heroin and crack cocaine are the most prevalent
drugs in the Central Okanagan
-School liaison officer program in schools very critical.
-Are you working on a gang defence program? This program does
work in some school districts. There is a significant amount of
work done in the school district:
bullying, social media, gangs, drugs, etc. There is a
significant concern in our school district, as well as
provincially.
-Is there something at the Board level that can be done to help
make a difference?
The School Liaison Officer funding is
vital. It was noted that School District No. 23 has a safe
schools committee. It is important to understand their role,
what is being done, and the connection with the school board.
GIVEN/GRAY
THAT the Crime Stoppers Program presentation be received for
information;
AND FURTHER THAT the School District be invited to a future
meeting to provide information on its school crime prevention
programs including: anti-bullying program, Fit for Defence,
school liaison program.
Every municipality in British Columbia that uses the RCMP as its
local police force has now agreed to sign the latest contract, after
Squamish, the final holdout, signalled Friday that it will be
keeping the Mounties.
Squamish, halfway between Vancouver and Whistler, was among several
municipalities that had delayed signing the new, 20-year agreement
over concerns about local control and added costs within the
contract.
The District of Squamish issued a news release Friday that said
while the community still has concerns, it will sign the deal.
The release suggested the district only agreed after the province
informed it that not signing would cost the community $450,000 in
lost funding. Under the contract, Squamish pays for 90 per cent of
the cost of policing, while the federal government picking up the
remaining 10 per cent.
"We will continue to work with Council, local residents, the
provincial government and other municipalities to address our
concerns with the policing contract," Mayor Rob Kirkham said in the
news release.
"The safety and security of the people of Squamish is of paramount
importance. We do not want to allow this process to place undue risk
on our citizens."
BC and other provinces reached the agreement earlier this year, and
British Columbia municipalities had until June 30 to sign on, a
deadline that had been extended twice since April.
The agreement included a number of measures designed to give
provinces and municipalities more control over how their local
detachments spend money and operate, including greater say in the
hiring of senior officers.
But those provisions weren't enough for some municipalities, who
complained about wage increases contained in the contract and
demanded even more control over RCMP officers in their communities.
Among Squamish's concerns were the costs associated with a new RCMP
headquarters in Surrey, the costs for legal services and security
costs for divisional and regional headquarters.
In May, municipal staff recommended councillors refuse to sign the
contract unless those concerns were addressed, but it appears
Squamish did not receive the concessions it demanded.
"The district was disappointed to have had so little input into a
contract that commits our residents for 20 years," the district's
news release says.
The loudest objections came from Burnaby, Richmond, Port Coquitlam
and the city and district of North Vancouver. All of them eventually
agreed to sign the contract, but they also joined together to launch
a two-year study into whether the RCMP is worth keeping.
If they decide to ditch the force, they can trigger a two-year
opt-out clause to get out of the contract. In that case, they would
then have to either start their own police department, invite
another municipal force to take over, or work with other cities to
create a regional force.
Ladysmith was listed among the communities that hadn't agreed to the
new contract, but the town announced Thursday that it will sign.
Mayor Rob Hutchins explained the delay was related funding for a
recently built RCMP detachment, and that issue had been sorted out.
Only 11 municipalities in BC have their own police force. The rest
of the province is policed by the single-largest contingent of RCMP
officers of any province.
Under the RCMP contract, small communities with fewer than 15,000
residents split the cost of policing with the federal government,
with the municipality paying 70 per cent.
Kelowna's top cop wants to target prolific offenders.
During his three month report to City Council, Superintendent Bill
McKinnon says half of the 10 new officers coming to Kelowna between
the beginning of July and January, 2013, will make up a second
Target Team.
"If we mean to move forward with crime reduction, if we're going to
get our calls for service down, we have to target," McKinnon told
council.
"We've done a decent job but we can do way better with a Target
Team. We can focus on those grow ops, we can focus on those people
that are committing a majority of crimes, we can put together a
surveillance unit and we can team up with our other units."
McKinnon says four of the other five new members will also have
specific duties.
"We are going to create another historical homicide unit. We are
going to add two people to our General GI Section because we've had
a large increase in the number of robberies and arsons."
He says the fourth member will be assigned to internal RCMP
investigations.
"The number of public complaints we have against us and now with the
mandate the Commanding Officer of BC has come out with when
reporting threshold offences against RCMP officers. Threshold
offences are lying, cheating, stealing."
McKinnon says he has yet to decide on the function of the 10th
officer.
That member could join the historical homicide team or could serve
as a second Domestic Violence Coordinator.
He says the goal is to reduce crime in the city by seven per cent
this year and believes with specific deployment of new officers can
reduce that even more in 2013.
McKinnon also admitted to council police in Kelowna have not done a
very good job of policing distracted drivers.
"I'd say on average two to three cars that pass you on the roadways,
there's somebody on their phone. We haven't done a good job and I'm
asking my members to step up," says McKinnon.
"If you charge one person, that one person is going to tell 10 more
at work that they got charged with that and it's going to make them
think about it and they're going to tell 10 more friends. Pretty
soon we'll have it under control."
He says it's no different that someone drinking in the beach area.
If there is no consequence, McKinnon says people will keep on doing
it.
When it comes to traffic enforcement, McKinnon says in the past he
has been forced to pull members off traffic duty in the summer.
"We're not doing that anymore. If we're saying traffic is a priority
in our community, I can't be robbing Peter to pay Paul," added
McKinnon.
"With the increases we've got from council we don't have to do that
this year."
McKinnon also says with the additions approved by council and the
number of members returning plus the number of transfers into
Kelowna, the detachment is in the best shape it's been in 'quite
some time.'
The four member municipalities of the Inter-Municipal Services
Advisory Board - Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton - are
continuing their work on common municipal issues including transit
governance, the Okanagan Basin Water Board and environmental
permitting.
The board is made up of the four municipal mayors and chief
administrative officers.
On Friday, April 20, Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray, Vernon Mayor Robert
Sawatzky, West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater and Penticton Mayor Dan
Ashton met to plan ahead for the rest of 2012.
“By continuing to work together, the four municipalities are able to
address areas of mutual concern, which will be a benefit to all the
citizens of the Okanagan Valley,” says Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton.
In the past, that has included agreement on a common Safe Premises
bylaw to handle properties found to be
cultivating illegal drugs, the launching a Bylaw Dispute
Adjudication System and lobbying for continued support of the
Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of the RCMP,
dedicated to organized crime activity.
This time around, the group discussed partnership opportunities with
BC Transit, which is considering implementing a three-person panel
to work with municipalities on planning.
The Mayors agreed that larger centres would like to work in tandem
with its provincial transit partner, making the panel available to
assist smaller centres with planning.
The group also noted it is looking forward to the Okanagan Basin
Water Board’s strategic planning session scheduled for early June,
and would call on municipal peers at the coming Southern Interior
Local Government Association (SILGA) convention in Revelstoke to
offer the OBWB suggestions and recommendations for consideration
during its planning process.
Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton also broached the topic of environmental
permitting issues relating to the reconstruction of streamside
infrastructure, such as dike systems.
The City of Penticton will take the lead on the matter, writing a
letter to senior government to review the lengthy and often costly
process required before municipalities are able to conduct needed
repairs.
Mayors Gray, Sawatzky, Findlater and Ashton signed two joint letters
at the meeting: one to Premier Christy Clark seeking funding support
for private landowners for forest fire mitigation and the other to
the Union of BC Municipalities seeking a change in how funds are
allocated under the Gas Tax Agreement.
Ongoing concerns that impact all member municipalities were also
discussed, including enforcement of lakeshore zoning regulations and
the RCMP policing agreement.
Inter-Municipal Services Advisory Board meetings are held quarterly
and alternate between municipalities. The four mayors represent more
than 80 per cent of the Okanagan’s population.
It's time for West Kelowna to find out how much it will cost for its
own police force.
Councillor, Bryden Winsby
That's the opinion of West Kelowna Councillor Bryden Winsby after
council voted to endorse the new 20-year RCMP contract.
The contract between the province and BC municipalities does allow
for a two-year opt out clause if a particular municipality is not
happy with what was happening with the RCMP.
They would have that 24 month window to look at other policing
options.
Winsby says he thinks it's time the municipality started to crunch
its own numbers.
"We know it's probably more expensive -- in fact it might be a lot
more expensive, but at least we would have figures in front of us so
we can understand that, 'if you don't like the cost of the RCMP,
here are the options," says Winsby.
"We might not like those either."
The options open may include a Provincial Police Force or a
Municipal Police Force.
Winsby says he's not advocating either at the present time but says
council should have the numbers in case alternatives are an option.
However, before making a formal request at the council table, Winsby
says the current contract situations needs to play out first.
While BC municipalities have been pleased with the contract itself,
several now voicing their disapproval over news late last week that
municipalities will be on the hook for RCMP raises announced by the
federal government.
Those raises amount to 1.75% retroactive to January 1, 2012, 1.5% on
January 1, 2013 and 2% on January 1, 2014.
"It hasn't played out fully. Other municipalities have to determine
whether they are going to sign the contract or whether they are
going to push away from the table," says Winsby.
"In so doing, will there be a move afoot by a number of
municipalities to look at a return of a provincial police force. If
everybody operates in isolation that's not necessarily a good
thing."
Winsby adds the current system can't be quickly dismantled anyway.
"We've had the RCMP here for a long time and it's not something you
pull apart in a hurry."
West Kelowna meantime joined other interior municipalities in asking
that the new contract with the RCMP be endorsed.
Mayor Doug Findlater wanted to delay signing the contract as a show
of support for other municipalities on the coast such as Richmond
and Surrey, however, the rest of council, while not liking the turn
of events, asked that the contract be signed.
"I want it on record that I as well, am extremely disappointed with
the federal government on this matter," says Councillor Rick de Jong.
"Poorly handled in the light of the new contract and supposed
transparency -- non-existent in this case. But I do move that we
move forward."
*Note* This is only a snippet, please
click link above for entire content.
2.3 2012 Budget Review
Marilyn Rilkoff began a review of the 2012 budget. The question was raised
regarding FTE's (full-time equivalents) and whether the cost is applied to the
department they report to or the service. FTE costs are allocated to individual
services. If you participate in a service you pay a portion of FTE.
911
- RDCO share increased. Increased staffing cost for supervision.
- Looking at other method of service delivery Crime Stoppers
- It was noted there is the potential a vehicle will need to be purchased. The
current vehicle is donated and if arrangements cannot be made for a donation in
the future a vehicle will need to be purchased.
The vehicle is a key awareness tool for the program and is used to transport
equipment for their various functions. A vehicle is required.
-The question was raised what else the reserves would be used for? Nothing as
far as capital needs.
OPHUS/FINDALTER
THAT the $30,000 for replacement of a vehicle be removed from capital budget,
and if required in the future bring forward as a budget amendment.
DEFEATED (Ophus, Findlater, Edgson voted in favor)
Director Findlater noted that the District of West Kelowna council are
considering various resolutions for this years' SILGA convention (tiered funding
for future federal gas tax funding; authority for regional
districts to adopt bylaws as municipalities can for dealing with grow-op houses;
provincial wide noise bylaw).
5.3 Gerry
Guiltenane, Crime Stoppers Coordinator re: Update on Program
Gerry Guiltenane provided an update on the Crime Stoppers program. January is
Crime Stoppers month in the Central Okanagan. A review of the service and
statistics was provided including 2011 highlights. 2012 initiatives include:
•
To promote the Crime Stoppers program, non-profit society, founded in 1987, part
of 29 programs in BC, and affiliated with Canadian and international programs.
• Information is considered privileged and not subject to legal-court/FO!.
• To expand the use of social media to promote the programs and public awareness
• To work in conjunction with other agencies ie: Canadian Crime Stoppers
• To work with youth initiatives with School District No. 23
• Continue major fundraising events
• Recruit new board members
• Registered society, where donations can be made. Without the support of the
RDCO the program would not be viable.
• 25th Anniversary celebrations are being worked on for 2012.
New Statistics Canada figures, that show Kelowna had the lowest
number of police officers per 100,000 residents of any of Canada's
33 largest metropolitan areas this year, will not deter the city's
plan to have an independent consultant complete a review to
determine the optimal number of cops needed here.
City corporate sustainability general manager Paul Macklem said
while he is disappointed to see the Kelowna was last on Statistics
Canada list, he noted the figures also show the rate grew between
2010 and 2011 by two per cent, while it fell in many of the other
jurisdictions.
Kelowna was one of only five areas in the country where the rate
grew by two per cent or more.
Asked if the information was new to him, Macklem joked: "All I've
really learned from this is that I'm getting a lot of calls (from
the media)."
On a more serious note, he said hearing Kelowna RCMP Supt. Bill
McKinnon say his officers have one of the highest caseload rates per
officer in Canada is not new. That has been known for years and
every year, McKinnon usually asks for more officers to add to the
148 he is currently authorized to have in the city.
But adding more cops is a costly option and Macklem said when all
associated costs are taken into account, the price taxpayer's face
for every police officer here will be $138,500 in 2012. Policing
currently costs the city about $19.4 million per year. when combined
with the cost of the fire department, the two protective services
account for one-third of the city's tax demand.
As a result, the city has hired independent consultant Robert
Prosser to study the local detachment and determine how many
officers are needed here to keep the city safe.
Both Macklem and his boss, city manager Ron Mattiussi have stressed
that the review is not because of any concerns the city has with how
the local detachment is being run or the conduct of police officers,
but rather with the funding, mainly from Victoria, that helps pay
for its operation.
Mattiussi said McKinnon is supportive of the review and has been
kept appraised of the preliminary findings. McKinnon was out of town
yesterday and could not be contacted for comment.
Prosser's report will be presented to city council Jan. 30 and
Macklem said he expects council will direct staff to come back with
recommendations based on Prosser's findings.
The Statistics Canada numbers, which have become provincial news,
also rank Kelowna 29th on the agency's Crime Severity Index, which
takes into account both the frequency and severity of crime in the
listed metro areas. The figures used for the index were taken from
2010 and do not include two high-profile murders in the city this
year, the death of Dane Phillips during an altercation in Rutland
and the brazen Sunday-afternoon gang-style assassination of reputed
Vancouver gang leader Jonathan Bacon outside the Delta Grand Hotel
in the summer.
"Because of that, I know the figures will be worse (when they are
complied for 2011) next year," said Macklem.
Investigations into such high-profile crimes increases the workload
on local officers even more.
Earlier this week, McKinnon repeated what he has said for years,
that the increasing workload on his officers, is taking a toll.
While there are 148 officers authorized for the city, not all of
them are available at any one given time due to issues like
holidays, medical leave, secondment to other investigations or
departments and training.
In Kelowna, like most communities across the country, the crime rate
is actually declining but here, the severity of the crimes being
reported appears to be well above the national average, according to
the Statistics Canada index. While the index listed its base at 82.7
in 2010, Kelowna's number was 113.1.
As for the possibility of the city providing more officers for
McKinnon in the coming year, that remains to be seen during the
municipal budget deliberations set to start Jan. 13.
Macklem said this year, Kelowna was hit the "triple whammy" of large
increases to RCMP pension premiums that the city had to absorb,
increases in salaries and benefits as mandated by the current RCMP
contract and an economy that was, in Macklem's words, "still in the
middle of a recession."
He said adding more police officers has to be weighed in light of
other city spending priorities and what taxpayers are willing to pay
for.
'That corpse that I viewed is
someone's loved one,' B.C. resident says
A B.C. man has seized two surveillance cameras he says
RCMP had hidden in trees near his trailer home, and they
are full of images from crime scenes and investigations.
Dion Nordick of Grand Forks told CBC News on Tuesday he
found the motion-activated cameras in June, in trees
overlooking the trailer he rents. They are now in his
lawyer's possession.
Nordick said he took the cameras down, removed the
memory cards inside, and found pictures of himself and
his friends coming and going from his trailer among the
200 images on the cameras.
The motion-actived cameras installed by the RCMP are
commonly used by hunters to capture images of game in
the wilderness. ((Bob Keating/CBC))
There were also pictures of drug busts, suicides and
assaults, "and it looked like they just hadn't been
erased off the card," said Nordick.
He said he saw a photo of a dead body and images of a
woman who was the apparent victim of an assault.
"That corpse that I viewed is someone's loved one. Those
pictures of that woman standing in her brassiere,
covered in bruises — she probably had a hard time
letting the police take those pictures. She probably had
a hard time going to the police," said Nordick.
The cameras even had pictures of police installing the
devices in the trees.
Flash gave cameras away
He said he was alerted to the cameras because they used
a flash when they were filming.
"I would say it's 100 per cent sloppy police work. It's
Charlie Brown technique, I would say," said Nordick.
Nordick said he believes the RCMP installed the cameras
in the trees because he is a graffiti artist and they
wanted to track his movements to help determine if he
had been spray-painting tags around the community.
He said RCMP raided his home in June and told the local
media they found evidence of a grow-op, but no actual
marijuana plants.
They also found spray paint and stencils, which they
took, he said.
Jesse Gelber, a lawyer for Dion Nordick, sits with one
of the RCMP cameras that the Grand Forks, B.C., man
seized from trees outside his trailer home. (CBC)
Nordick said he gave the cameras to his lawyer, Jesse
Gelber, who said police had no right to be on the
property installing surveillance cameras.
"Generally, police don’t have judicial authorization to
enter onto private land. That’s not legal; that’s
trespass," said Gelber.
Gelber said he is keeping the cameras until he gets an
explanation from police.
But the RCMP say they want their cameras returned.
"The fact that someone has committed a criminal act and
stolen our cameras certainly is, I guess, a concern for
RCMP and for our investigators," said Sgt. Dan Seibel.
Seibel also said RCMP would not be recommending any
charges related to drugs or graffiti-related mischief.
031 - 911 Emergency Number (Page 145): RDCO 911 Emergency staff attended BC 911
Service Providers Association fall meeting and were updated on the text
messaging pilot project for the deaf and hard of hearing community. City of
Nanaimo is preparing for a legal suit and provided an update on wireless call
answering levy. RCMP contact was transferred. Manager of Police Services has met
with new RCMP E DIVISION officer regarding service delivery and staffing.
Working groups have been established to work on standardization regarding RCMP
and 911 services. Commissions paid by Telus and Bell Mobility $14,130 to Sept.
30, 2011. Software maintenance program renewal in the amount of $3,500 purchased
as required for primary answering point system.
040 - Crime Stoppers (Page 147): The 2012 Strategic Planning Conference took
place Sept. 23, 2011. Crime Stoppers Board identified objectives for 2012
including targeting corporate sponsorships, Crime Stoppers awareness campaign,
2012 Golf tournament fundraiser, Youth initiatives, revenue generation, and the
recruitment of Board members and volunteers. The 2012 Strategic Plan will
prioritize youth initiatives. One candidate has been identified, interviewed and
recommended as a replacement Board member. The Program has one more candidate
scheduled to be interviewed. Crime Stoppers Program Coordinator has been
nominated to the BC Advisory Board for Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers will be
partnering with other
sections in the Community Operational Support. Crime Stoppers Website has
received 24,135 visits to Sept. 30, 2011, indicating that the public is
utilizing the site to obtain information on criminal activity in the community.
The 2011 Fund Raising Golf Tournament held September 16th at Sunset Ranch Golf&
Country Club raised $14,000.
041 - Victims Services (Page 149): New clients were 85% adult with the remaining
fifteen percent consisting of seniors, youth and children. Of the new clients,
73% were female. 75% of Victim Services Clients are from RCMP referrals; 38% of
Callouts are due to sudden deaths. RCMP members have recognized the importance
of Victim Services and quality of service that staff brings to the community.
Staff continues to provide court support services, including 65 hours of court
accompaniment and liaison with Crown Counsel and BC Sheriffs with regards to
serious crime files, inclUding but not limited to murder. Victim Services staff
attended the police based victim services regional meeting in Vernon. A
representative from RCMP E Division and the Ministry of Public Safety were also
in attendance. RDCO Victim Services Program was commended in regards to the
recognition of on call services. Monthly meetings have resumed with the
community based victim services.
042 - Regional Crime Prevention (Page 153): Two to three new Block Watch
programs have been completed. Other orientations are currently scheduled in an
effort to expand the Block Watch Crime Prevention Program to more neighbourhoods
in the area. Active volunteer recruitment is currently taking place. The
detachment's Community Operational Support Unit, City of Kelowna administrative
assistant is supporting the Program by running preliminary security checks and
setting up files for security review for potential volunteer recruitment. The
West Kelowna Detachment does not provide this service. The cost for this service
was not included in the 2011 bUdget. West Kelowna Crime Prevention Office is in
the process of being dissolved with all assets and memberships to be transferred
to the West Kelowna Crime Prevention Society. Once the transfer is finalized, a
name change is to follow. Central Okanagan Speed Watch volunteers have increased
in number due to the closure of the West Kelowna Crime Prevention office and
different complaints to deal with in the Program.
039 - Crime Prevention Sub-Program Alarm Control (Page 155): Due to limited
staff resources in the program it has been difficult to complete the billing
process. Relief assistance has been provided for the Program and recruitment
process is in place to hire additional relief staff. Hiring process has been
delayed due to need for security clearance. Some third quarter stats are not
available due to absence of Alarm Program Coordinator.
10.1 Quarterly Program Measures Report - Year-to-date - September 30, 2011
Staff report dated November 2nd outlined an executive summary highlights for
the year quarterly program measures report to September 30, 2011. Staff verbally
reviewed some of the highlights noting that an amendment to the financial plan
bylaw is forthcoming.
OPHUS/EDGSON
THAT the Quarterly Program Measures Report, year-to-date September 30,2011 be
received.
CARRIED
It was noted that construction is underway on the Okanagan Safe Harbour and
that Lake Country has expressed concern that it will not function in the same
way as previous and questioned whether this was a budget issue. Staff noted that
the
RDCO is working on refurbishment of safe harbor in cooperation with the Ministry
of Environment (MOE) approvals. MOE has identified fisheries habitat in and
around the safe harbor and this has elevated concern around the criteria for
refurbishment in the area.
There will be impacts from southerly waves as batterboards are no longer in
place and cannot be added due to Ministry approvals. Staff continue to work with
the MOE regarding the height of the courtesy dock-- under the large lake
protocol
docks cannot be floating which means the dock will not function well in low
water.
The MOE has agreed to lower the dock slightly and staff will continue to work
with MOE to seek approval to drop the dock level-the best may be at high water
level.
5.1 Supt. Bill McKinnon, RCMP re: update on
detachment priorities & initiatives Supt. McKinnon provided an update on the
detachment priorities and initiatives including:
• West Kelowna school liaison position approved
• Peachland is part of school liaison position as well as WFN.
• Official audit being done by E-division of the detachment.
• Summer months somewhat non-eventful, since homicide it has been extremely
busy. 17 members on secondment for major drug investigations, homicide file.
• Crime reduction strategy - goal reviewed to reduce crime and increase public
safety and awareness.
• Crime statistics reviewed for Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country
significant reductions from 2009 to 2011
• There is need for further officers-these requests wills be brought forward to
municipal councils for 2012.
Director Findlater arrived at 8:45 a.m.
Questions:
- Can statistics be posted--municipal websites, chamber websites, get the news
out as this is a 'good news story'. Stats have been provided to the media and
can be provided to the municipalities for their websites.
- Is there something different we should be doing for the prolific offender?
Need more government programs. 75% of what the RCMP deal with is drug related.
- The new rules for drinking & driving are working--50% reduction in accidents.
- What about policing at UBCO. The University is within municipality of Kelowna,
and Kelowna is responsible for policing. Hiring extra officers on weekends to
assist with enforcement at the University
-Stats have been included in the media.
SHEPHERD/BAKER
THAT the presentation from RCMP Supt. Bill McKinnon regarding the detachment's
priorities and initiatives be received.
031 - 911 Emergency Number (Page 150): A renewal service
agreement to December 31, 2011, has been signed with Okanagan-Similkameen
Regional District.
RDCO 911 Emergency staff attended SC 911 Service Providers Association spring
meeting and AGM.
Staff participates on Call Answer Levy working group.
New equipment is under discussion with the RCMP
due to an incident involving death. A report exploring staffing
options has been submitted to the Board. Contract services costs have increased
as RDCO employees are not able to fill all shifts. RDCO does not have control
over hiring staff for back fill as scheduling is done by the RCMP. There is a
limited pool of employees to draw from and the employees have varying employment
agreements. Commissions being paid by Telus and Bell Mobility total $9,376 for
the first half of 2011. Printers at the 911 office have been replaced.
040 -
Crime Stoppers (page 152): Videos on Graffiti, Cyber Bullying and Drug
Trafficking produced during the 2010 joint video project with the students at
Rutland Senior Secondary are being featured on the Crime Stoppers website, You
Tube, CHBC TV and Shaw TV. The 2011 BC Provincial Crime Stoppers Training
Conference held in Kelowna was a major success. Vista Radio received an award
for their Crime Stoppers Public Service Announcements and the Central Okanagan
Crime Stoppers program received a Milestone award for $3.2 million worth of
drugs seized in 2010. The Annual General Meeting was held on June 16, 2011. With
five positions to fill, the Program is actively seeking new board members and
has found two potential replacements. Crime Stoppers program has been assisting
the Kelowna General Investigation Section on a series of arson fires in the
Rutland area. The program has also been approached by the South East District
Serious Crimes unit to assist in a cold case homicide. A crime re-enactment on
the unsolved Leon Avenue shooting crime was completed in conjunction with CHBC
and the Kelowna RCMP Major Crimes Unit. The segment aired on CHBC in June and
resulted in several tips sent to Crime Stoppers.
Discussions are underway with the West Kelowna GIS to conduct a re-enactment to
determine the identity of human remains discovered on a logging road ten years
ago. Crime Stoppers Website in the first half of 2011 received 15,733 visits
indicating that the public is utilizing the site to obtain information on
criminal activity in the community. The 2011 Fund Raising Golf Tournament
planning is underway with the event to be held September 16th at Sunset Ranch
Golf & Country Club.
041 - Victims Services (page 154): New clients were 84%
adult with the remaining sixteen percent consisting of seniors, youth and
children. Of the new clients, 75% were female. 75% of Victim Services Clients
are from RCMP referrals; 46% of Callouts are due to sudden deaths. The majority
of callouts attended by staff involve death, suicide and motor vehicle
accidents. The 2011 - 2012 Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
funding was approved and the contract renewed. During national Victims of Crime
Week, April 10 - 16, Victim Services partnered with the regional libraries,
detachments, community groups, government liquor store, local colleges and
university, to promote the Program and raise awareness
regarding victims' issues. An increase of services is now provided regarding the
area of court support which includes accompaniment and court appearance date
updates. Staff has access to JUSTIN which is a case
specific information source, and Justice BC to facilitate this service.
During the second quarter of 2011, the increased number of serious incidents has
increased the complexity of the service delivery of these case files.
042 -
Regional Crime Prevention (page 158): Crime Prevention office relocated to the
new West Kelowna RCMP Detachment April 18, 2011. Two to three new Block Watch
programs are currently scheduled in an effort to expand the Block Watch Crime
Prevention Program to more neighbourhoods in the area.
West Kelowna Crime Prevention Office is in the process of amalgamating with the
West Kelowna Citizen's Patrol.
11.1 Quarterly Program Measures Report,
Year-to-date - June 30, 2011
The Quarterly Program Measures Report,
year-to-date June 30, 2011, Executive Summary was presented for information and
review. Staff highlighted any areas of financial concern to date within the
Executive Summary.
The Committee was reminded it is staff's responsibility to
identify any change from their original plans including goals, revenues,
expenses and that it's the Board's responsibility to ensure the documents are
reviewed and any concerns raised.
SHEPHERD/FINDLATER
THAT the Quarterly Measures Report, Year-to-date June 30,2011 be received.
About domestic violence, Crime Stoppers, victim services. The police
cannot find out if a home is a legitimate grow op until they get there.
More officers are needed. Superintendant Bill McKinnon supports sobering
centers, but where does the money come from. No funding from the Province
for Domestic Violence and have been denied twice by the Ministry. So many
other things come first before Domestic Violence. Need more drug members.
Director Edgson said domestic violence is tied to the economy and grow ops.
City of Kelowna survey said #1 concern residents have is domestic violence.
120 domestic violence cases a month.
a) RCMP Supt. McKinnon and Cary Berger - re: Domestic Violence Support Worker
Position Cary Berger, RDCO Manager of Police Services, provided the committee
with an update on funding for the Domestic Violence Support Worker position. She
stated a funding application had been submitted to the Ministry of Public Safety
and the Standing Finance Committee to review, it was denied. Staff had a
conference call with the Ministry and the Province noted that they have no
funding for this position;
they support a community based victim service program and they are not
interested in a third model at this time.
RCMP Superintendent McKinnon addressed the Board regarding the Domestic Violence
Support Worker Position. He stated that they have re-organized and going
forward, support will be provided by the plain clothes section and will be acted
upon immediately, as a high priority. He noted that there are many positions
that are needed within the RCMP and that in the scope of positions needed, this
position is not determined as a high priority.
The City of Kelowna noted that domestic violence was identified as the number
one priority for the City. It was asked of staff if the community based funding
model be explored, instead of the police model? Staff noted that there is great
value in having an in-house model as it falls under Federal jurisdiction with
full disclosure.
Community based support works would be under non-disclosure.
The committee noted that it supported Superintendent McKinnon and the
reorganization for support of the Domestic Violence Support Worker position. It
was noted that they would like to continue to lobby for funding for the model in
their community. If funding is not forthcoming then perhaps re-think and
advocate for money to come from the community based program the Province is in
support of.
SHEPHERD/HODGSON
THAT the Governance and Services Committee continue to support the pursuit of a
Domestic Violence Support Worker position, however if funding is not forthcoming
that staff start to pursue other funding options to provide a police- based
position to support domestic violence in the community.
CARRIED
------------------------------
5.3 Delegations
a) RCMP Supt. McKinnon and Cary Berger - re: Domestic Violence Support Worker
Position
About domestic violence, Crime Stoppers, victim services. The police
cannot find out if a home is a legitimate grow op until they get there.
More officers are needed. Superintendant Bill McKinnon supports sobering
centers, but where does the money come from. No funding from the Province
for Domestic Violence and have been denied twice by the Ministry. So many
other things come first before Domestic Violence. Need more drug members.
Director Edgson said domestic violence is tied to the economy and grow ops.
City of Kelowna survey said #1 concern residents have is domestic violence.
120 domestic violence cases a month.
It would be easy to accuse Vernon council of ignoring public safety
after hearing that the number of budgeted police officers has gone
from 52 to 50.
However, that would be more of a gut reaction than reality.
One has to consider that in recent years, the city has directed
considerable financial resources towards hiring additional police
officers and bylaw enforcement officers. Community policing has also
received significant support.
We all remember back to a time when residents and merchants
complained about the extent of crime downtown. Cenotaph Park was
virtually off limits for law-abiding citizens and some employees
were reluctant to walk to their cars in the dark. Times have changed
and while there is still crime, the common perception is that
downtown is a much safer place to be.
The RCMP suggest that shifting from 52 to 50 budgeted officers will
make it challenging to maintain services. However, the city claims
staffing varies from 48 to 51 depending on circumstances and nobody
will lose their job. Which scenario is correct? We will have to wait
and see.
It should be pointed out that
two officers cost about
$172,000 a year — that’s considerable when $246,416 equates to a one
per cent tax increase in the city.
Given the impact the recession has created for many residents and
businesses, council must make some difficult decisions as part of
the 2011 budget. No city department got exactly what it wanted.
In the end, though, we are confident the RCMP will continue to
provide the high level of service we have come to expect in the
community.
a) Domestic Violence Support Worker
It was noted that the funding proposal to the Ministry of Public
Safety and Solicitor General regarding a domestic violence support
worker pilot project submitted in May 2010 has been denied for two
reasons: lack of funding and the Ministry does not want to introduce
a third model but prefers the community based program. It was agreed
that lobbying for funding for the
pilot project needs to continue.
SHEPHERD/HODGE
THAT the denial of the application for funding for a pilot
police-based Domestic Violence Support Worker be shared with our
MLAs;
AND THAT the Chair and Directors attempt to meet with Ministry
officials at the upcoming UBCM Convention to lobby for support of
the pilot project;
AND FURTHER THAT staff attend the public provincial budget
meetings scheduled for September 21 and if possible present a case
for funding of a police based domestic violence program.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Victim Services and Crime Prevention
Attn: Susanne Dahlin, Executive Director
302-815 Hornby St.
Vancouver, B.C.
V6Z 2E6
Dear Ms Dahlin:
Re: Domestic Violence Support Worker Pilot Project
The Regional Board has requested a letter be forwarded in support of
the proposal, "Kelowna RCMP Domestic Violence Support Worker Pilot
Project" forwarded to your office by Cary Berger from the Regional
District of Central Okanagan, May 28, 2010.
The vision of this project is to improve the overall system
response to domestic violence through relevant, intensive support
and empowerment to victims of domestic violence. Funding is being
sought from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to
enable the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) to contract
one full-time designated Domestic Violence Unit Support Worker. It
is proposed that the RDCO would manage the funding and supervise the
designated support worker through the RDCO police based victim
services program within the RDCO Police Services Department.
Established regional programs within the RDCO Police Services
Department consist of: Alarm Control, Crime Prevention, Crime
Stoppers, Victim Services, and 9-1-1. All of the said programs have
an established, accepted, and vital partnership with police and each
of the
programs promote community safety and well being.
The designated support worker would work alongside the RCMP
member assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit. Currently, the member
position is funded through the City of Kelowna and is housed in
Kelowna Detachment.
Our police based victim services program has been successful in
our region for over 20 years and works well within the policing
environment and integrated detachment area which includes Kelowna,
Lake Country, and West Kelowna RCMP Detachments. Further, the
program serves the communities of Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland,
West Kelowna, two electoral areas, and Westbank First Nation.
The proposal forwarded to your office requests funding for one
year; however, we urge your office to consider long-term funding for
the proposed designated support worker position. The importance of
such a project deserves the opportunity for continued sustainable
funding.
Should you require any further information, please feel free to
contact me. We look forward to hearing from your office.
Yours truly,
Thank you for your consideration
Yours sincerely,
Robert Hobson, Chair
cc: Norm Letnick, MLA
Ben Stewart, MLA
Ken Thomson, MLA
Supt. Bill McKinnon, Kelowna RCMP Detachment
5.1 Update on Domestic Violence Support Worker - Application for
Funding Staff updated the Committee on the funding proposal to the
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General regarding a domestic
violence support worker pilot project. A funding proposal was
submitted in May 2010 and in follow-up discussions with Ministry
staff it has been confirmed that the proposal has been denied for
two reasons: lack of funding and the Ministry does not want to
introduce a third model but prefers the community based program.
Staff reviewed the locations of where community programs receive
funding. Programs funded today go to community based programs only.
The Model the Regional District proposed was to attach the program
to the police services. It was noted that there is a different
philosophy between the various areas, the model and the Ministry.
The appeal process is really at the political level to lobby for a
change at the Ministry level. It was noted that public provincial
budget meetings are being held in the Central Okanagan in the near
future and that it may be of value for staff to attend and if
possible present for increased funding for a police based program
for domestic violence.
SHEPHERD/HODGE
THAT the denial of the application for funding
for a pilot police-based Domestic Violence Support Worker be shared
with our MLAs;
AND THAT the Chair and Directors attempt to meet with Ministry
officials at the upcoming UBCM Convention to lobby for support of
the pilot project;
AND FURTHER THAT staff attend the public provincial budget
meetings next week and present, if possible, a case for funding of a
police based domestic violence program.
Mike de Jong has been given an earful on the issues several cities,
including Vernon, face with costs involving integrated RCMP
detachments.
B.C.’s solicitor-general met with the Vernon delegation earlier this
week at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM)
convention at Whistler.
“It went well,” said Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert of the meeting with
de Jong. “We asked him to re-look at costs, particularly for those
communities with integrated detachments like ours.”
Lippert presented a report to the solicitor-general, believing
Vernon is unfairly covering policing costs for the rest of the North
Okanagan region.
The report states the city currently pays virtually all support
costs for 38.5 employees of the Vernon-North Okanagan detachment.
The city funds 33.5 full-time equivalent employees, Coldstream
covers two and three are funded provincially.
Costs and employee increases due to a new records management system
and other service level increases have also largely been covered by
Vernon.
The local detachment has been integrated since 2004.
“What’s key to note is the contract for policing is done directly
between the provincial and federal government. It has nothing to do
with the RCMP or municipalities,” said Lippert. “When the costs are
put back to the municipalities, they’re all sub-contractors of the
province, not the federal government. The municipalities need to
talk to the province.”
The solicitor-general seemed to take Vernon’s words and report to
heart.
“He was making notes on that so that he could study it,” said
Lippert. “Most of the detachments and sub-contracts the province has
with municipalities and regional districts are not of the integrated
type. They’re full, where everyone is paying the same and boundaries
are defined and everybody’s in the same circumstance in those
boundaries.
“In the North Okanagan, we have a large urban area that can go
directly into a large rural area and they can’t use resources
outside the City of Vernon in the rural area.”
Lippert met with about 30 other mayors, including communities with
integrated detachments, to discuss issues such as policing costs.
“One thing nobody’s happy with is a 20-year-contract offered by the
federal government and they won’t budge on it,” said Lippert. “There
are clauses, however, to review the contract every five years.”
The current RCMP contract expires in 2012.
Lippert and Couns. Jack Gilroy and Shawn Lee spent the week meeting
with close to 10 provincial cabinet ministers talking about a number
of subjects at UBCM.
Representatives from cities across
B.C. are banding together to pressure Ottawa to lighten the
financial load related to policing, which they say is becoming a
crippling expense.
“There are concerns about increasing costs, a lack of accountability
and whether there should be other sources of policing looked at,”
said Mayor Sharon Shepherd, who is at the UBCM meeting in Whistler
this week.
“We are among 30 communities that pay 90 per cent of the costs for
RCMP…and it’s becoming unaffordable.”
Shepherd, along with other mayors from cities that have populations
exceeding 15,000, wants the cost to be cut to 70 per cent—a proposal
the federal government rejected this summer.
They also refused the 50-50 split in costs for municipalities with
populations from 5,000 to 15,000 in size. Those areas now foot 70
per cent of policing costs.
“It’s a major budget item, and it’s hard to control,” said Shepherd.
“As municipalities, we don’t get to see the details of the spending.
“We are fortunate we have an excellent relationship with the
superintendent, but it’s hard for him to identify what we’re
covering.”
Furthering the strain on Kelowna in terms of policing related costs,
is that there’s a need to fund police resources for a city that
swells in size over the course of tourist season.
“We heard the same thing from many other tourism-based communities,”
she said.
The push to get what Shepherd believes to be a more equitable pay
ratio is set against negotiations to renew B.C.’s contract with the
RCMP.
It expires in March 2012 and there are rumblings across B.C. that a
provincial police force, like Ontario has, would be preferable.
Shepherd didn’t weigh in on that, but said she wants to see the new
contract improve upon current conditions.
“The new contract is looking at accountability…municipalities are
all struggling with how we will pay with these increases,” she said.
It was reported on CHBC noon news Aug 27, 2010 that there are 17
police officers serving the North Okanagan during a town hall
meeting in Falkland where residents were pretty emotional about the
amount of policing they receive in Falkland.
RCMP officials are preparing to defend their
actions in one North Okanagan community.
A town hall meeting will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Falkland
Community Hall, and the focus will be public concerns that the level
of policing has decreased.
Insp. Jim McNamara, with the North Okanagan RCMP, says he has heard
the concerns but believes creating one integrated shift schedule for
Falkland, Enderby, Armstrong and surrounding areas has been
positive.
“We’re enhancing our ability to provide Falkland with greater
coverage than they have now,” he said.
Falkland has traditionally had three officers assigned there, but
with one away on leave, that has made it difficult for the two
remaining officers to manage duties.
“The only way we can cover everything is to draw on the entire North
Okanagan. It gives us more flexibility,” said McNamara, adding that
if an incident occurs in Falkland, an available officer from Enderby
or Armstrong will be dispatched.
However, not everyone is happy with the new structure.
“They don’t see police here very often,” said Rene Talbot, Columbia-Shuswap
Regional District director.
Talbot is concerned officers could be at the north end of Mabel Lake
or down along Okanagan Lake when an emergency occurs in Falkland.
“It’s call-for-service now and it takes time to get here,” he said.
“I have expressed concerns about response times and a lack of
presence and my questions go unanswered. They’re just taxi drivers
now, not policemen. All they do is drive.”
Talbot wants three officers permanently stationed at the Falkland
detachment, and insists that is the only way to improve service.
“With some incidents, you can’t wait,” he said of crime and speeding
on Highway 97.
McNamara insists there was a need for the integrated shift schedule
in the North Okanagan.
“We need to look at providing more efficient service with limited
resources,” he said.
McNamara points out that with one officer away on leave, scheduling
the other two designated for Falkland became difficult because of
holidays, illness and mandatory training.
The other issue, he said, is there is no guarantee the designated
officers will live in Falkland so having on-call officers respond
from Enderby or Armstrong provides more efficient service.
When the third officer is back from leave, all three officers
designated to Falkland will continue to start their shifts there, as
will two other rural officers.
“They will respond to calls elsewhere but that’s still their home
base,” said McNamara.
Agenda No: 5.1
Mtg Date: August 12, 2010
TO: RDCO Directors and Department Heads
FROM: Donna Adams, Accounting Analyst; Marilyn Rilkoff, Manager of
Finance and Administration
DATE: July 30,2010
SUBJECT: Quarterly Program Measures Report, Year to Date June 30,
2010
*This is only a snippet of the 8 pages*
The following are some of the highlights for the year from the
Quarterly Report, but are certainly not all inclusive. We do
recommend that the report and each program be reviewed, particularly
with respect to "Department Initiative Status Reports", the "Summary
of Year to Date Results", and Project Updates for the various
programs. There are too many items too be covered in this summary,
and everyone's level of interest in the various programs and
departments varies.
Executive Summary:
031 - 911 Emergency Number (page 146):
Commissions being paid by Telus and Bell Mobility total $14,000 to
date. Interviewing and hiring for vacant 911 positions was completed
in a timely manner and in consultation with the RCMP. One employee
on long-term disability resigned. 911 services is fUlly staffed at
this time. The RCMP will reimburse the RDCO for the salaries of the
four staff seconded to the Olympics. 911 Service Agreements have
been updated and forwarded to participating Regional Districts for
renewal. Information is being collected and researched for Primary
Services Answering Point.
Phone levy option is being explored.
040 - Crime Stoppers (Page 148): Crime Stopper Coordinator
hired effective February 1, 2010. Assistant Crime Stopper
Coordinator hired April 201 O. Contract awarded to DotCom Media for
upgrades to the Crime Stoppers website. The Central Okanagan Crime
Stoppers Society will be contributing funds in the amount of $10,000
for this project. Website is in the final stages of re-development.
The 12th Annual Community Fund Raising Golf Tournament at Sunset
Ranch Golf Club raised $19,000. The Crime Stoppers Society has
qonated a specialized video camera to the Video Production Students
at Rutland Senior Secondary to produce a series of DVD productions
on Graffiti, Drug Use and Cyber Bullying:
041 - Victims Services (Page 150): New
clients were 88% adult with the remaining twelve percent consisting
of seniors, youth and children. Of the new clients, 11% were female.
56% of Victim Services Clients are from RCMP referrals; 31% of
Callouts are due to fatalities. National Victims of Crime Awareness
Week occurred April 18 - 24. Domestic Violence designated support
worker proposal submitted to the Ministry of Public Safety and
Solicitor General. Follow-up meeting scheduled for the third
quarter. Presentations were done for UBCO Social Work students, OUC
Human Service Worker and Criminal Justice Studies students. Staff
attended workshops on Managing Stress, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum and
Critical Incident Response.
042 - Regional Crime Prevention (page 154):
Block Watch Crime Prevention Program continues to be promoted.
Operation Wrap III is in progress with WFN and
utility boxes in their jurisdiction. New Crime Prevention
Program introduced, BC Securities Commission Tipsters Program. In
the process of implementing an Emergency Preparedness Plan for
Peachland, complete with Volunteer Team Leader and Policy
&Procedures Manual to assist the Community.
Escalating costs associated with the RCMP has prompted Vernon City
Council to investigate a municipal police force.
A report should be ready for council very shortly.
Councillor Jack Gilroy says the city will do a study on costs paid
by other cities in the province who have a municipal police force.
However, Gilroy cautions residents that this does not mean the city
is unhappy with the job the RCMP has been doing.
"We're very happy with the RCMP, it's just that the city is getting
tired of paying all the costs for everything," says Gilroy.
"Not just the RCMP but the civic employees are paid for by the City
of Vernon and no one seems to want to assist us in all the employees
we have to hire to keep the RCMP going."
The City of Vernon currently pays 90 per cent of policing costs
while the province picks up the other 10%.
Vernon also hires all the support staff for the RCMP.
"No one seems to want to give us any money for that. We do that for
the whole North Okanagan."
Gilroy says the new RCMP contract, due to come into affect in 2012
will put a real strain on the Vernon budget.
"The last time I was at talks in Vancouver they showed us a scale
and if we sign that contract in 2012 the way it is now our entire
budgets in six or seven years will go strictly to the RCMP. We won't
be able to do anything else."
He says the province seems to be getting the message but adds the
feds are the ones stuck on the 90/10 split, something he says the
cities simply can't afford anymore.
While the city is investigating costs, Gilroy reiterates that
council is not unhappy with the performance of the local RCMP.
"We don't want to lose them because they are our Canadian Police
Force but we have to put a handle on the taxes."
The four member municipalities of the Inter municipal Services
Advisory Board—Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton—are
calling for a new approach to the way the B.C. Government passes on
costs for RCMP policing.
Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd, West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater,
Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton and Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert will ask
their Councils to endorse a resolution, which would go to the Union
of B.C. Municipalities Conference in Whistler September 27 to
October 1, calling on the Provincial Government to consult with
local government prior to adjusting policing costs.
The four mayors agreed policing expenses should not come as a
surprise to municipal governments and a more cooperative approach
would eliminate sudden charges in future and fit in better with
municipalities’ budget planning processes.
The mayors
discussed one notable example of surprising increases in policing
costs, which occurred last fall when the Province told
municipalities they would be responsible for additional charges for
the RCMP’s record keeping system—called Police Records Information
Management Environment or PRIME.
The cost of PRIME doubled from $500 to $1,000 per member inside of
one year and the B.C. Public Safety and Solicitor General’s Ministry
passed on those costs to municipalities with little warning or
explanation.
The
increased costs in Kelowna, for example, amounted to an additional
$100,000, which is nearly equal to the cost of hiring one new police
officer.
The UBCM resolution would call on the Province
to work with municipalities to implement a consultation process,
whereby local government would have input and adequate notice into
policing cost adjustments.
Mayor Shepherd also committed to continue to address the issue of
policing costs through a UBCM focus group she participates in.
The group has been established to provide feedback to Federal and
Provincial Government representatives who negotiate with RCMP.
Meanwhile, for the first time, the four municipalities have also
made a joint purchase as a result of their ongoing cooperation
through their Interminable Services Agreement.
The municipalities arranged a cash back discount for stationary
through Staples/Corporate Express. The discount is calculated based
on the amount of office supplies purchased and will therefore vary
by municipality.
The agreement is for five years, however, the contract can be
reviewed annually and each municipality has the option to continue
or opt out of the deal.
The City of Vernon and the District of West Kelowna were also able
to use the Joint Purchasing Agreement to purchase two vehicles this
year, one for each municipality.
The Inter municipal Services Advisory Board also discussed a variety
of other issues including:
•The possibility of an Inter municipal Emergency Planning Agreement
•Valley-wide transit initiatives
•Future improvements to Highway 97
•Landfill management and tipping fees
•Control measures for Canada Geese
•Climate change
•Liquor control policies
•Concerns related to the potential removal of rail lines
The Inter municipal Services Advisory Board was created September
16, 2008 and is made up of the Mayors and Chief Administrative
Officers of each municipality, who meet regularly to work
cooperatively on a variety of issues of mutual concern.
Richmond councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt says municipalities serviced
under contract by the RCMP should get a break in terms of policing
costs.
Halsey-Brandt insists that the current funding formula must be
changed, with either the provincial or federal government absorbing
more expenses.
“Last year, our RCMP cost [in Richmond], I think, was a 10-percent
increase overall,” Halsey-Brandt told the Georgia Straight in a
phone interview. “It’s so hard to sustain other programs when you’ve
got increased costs like that. You end up having to cut back on
other things to cover the RCMP or reduce programs or raise taxes
more than you want to. It looks like that’s going to happen again
this year for us, so it’s not a very pleasant prospect.”
Under the current RCMP contract, which is due to expire on March 31,
2012, municipalities with populations in excess of 15,000 pay 90
percent of total expenses, excluding overtime, with the federal
government picking up the remaining 10 percent of the tab.
Municipalities with populations ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 pay 70
percent of the cost of RCMP services.
But according to a June 20, 2010, memorandum prepared by the
secretariat of the Union of B.C. Municipalities, local governments
may not find significant relief from the ongoing renegotiation of
the RCMP contract.
The report noted that back in 2007, “federal negotiators received
approval from Cabinet to maintain the current cost shares and
population thresholds.”
Municipalities, according to the document, wanted the funding
formula of 90-10 and 70-30 adjusted to 70-30 and 50-50.
Instead, the B.C. negotiating team has proposed that the federal
government modify the cost-sharing agreement covering cadet
training, regional integrated teams, divisional administration,
complaints process, and police dogs from the present 90-10 to 70-30.
The memorandum also stated that an “agreement in principle” for a
new 20-year RCMP contract is expected by fall.
Former Mountie Kevin Begg, now assistant deputy minister and
director of police services with the Ministry of Public Safety and
Solicitor General, heads the committee representing B.C. and seven
other provinces in the contract-renewal talks with the federal
government. Begg declined an interview request by the Straight. The
ministry wouldn’t make available any officials who could talk on the
record about the negotiations.
Halsey-Brandt noted that many municipal officials are frustrated
over the lack of public input into the contract talks. “We’re asking
for more transparency,” he said. “We’re just the ones that pay the
money and have no information on it and no real say on it.”
Results of an Angus Reid survey in December 2009 showed a steep
decline in the public-approval rating of the RCMP in B.C. The poll
indicated that 61 percent of British Columbians reported that their
“confidence in the internal operations and leadership of the RCMP
has decreased over the last two years”.
Doug MacKay-Dunn, a former Vancouver police officer and now a
councillor in the District of North Vancouver, noted that many
local-government officials are worried that their councils may not
have enough time to review the terms of their new contracts with the
RCMP.
“We’re concerned that they don’t wait until the last minute to jam
it through and say, ‘Oh, well, we don’t have much time. We have to
make these decisions now,’ ” MacKay-Dunn told the Straight by phone.
Coldstream’s Community Policing Office has closed its doors for
good.
In a current review of services in Coldstream, the community
policing service has been terminated.
“We’re trying to trim back somewhere,” said Mayor Gary Corner. “We
feel there’s some good services community policing provides but it
just didn’t really work with Coldstream.”
The community policing was costing the district approximately
$120,000 a year, plus the cost of the building and maintenance.
With the closure of the office comes the termination of a key figure
– office co-ordinator Kate Leeder.
“Kate has been let go, it’s got nothing to do with her job or
anything like that,” said Corner. “She’s definitely got some
expertise.”
Now the district is looking at what programs Coldstream does benefit
from (such as speed watch and citizens on patrol) and is requesting
continuation of these services from the Vernon Safe Communities
Unit.
The office space will also not go to waste, with a possibility of
using it for district staff, said Corner.
“It will definitely be used, it’ll be used by our municipality.”
With the community policing cost savings and possibly further
savings as council continues to review all other services,
Coldstream taxes are also slated to drop.
Taxpayers are currently facing a 9.17 per cent tax hike, and
although an exact number isn’t known yet, taxes will be dropping.
“That will be dropping no matter what,” said Corner. “We’ll
definitely bring that down.”
With the closure of the community policing office, residents are
reminded that they will continue to receive RCMP services out of the
Vernon RCMP detachment.
Any issues related directly to community policing can be forwarded
to the District of Coldstream for review and action as required.
Residents of the North Okanagan’s rural communities are being
consulted directly on policing services.
The North Okanagan Regional District recently launched the Safe
Communities program for the five electoral areas and that has
resulted in several meetings with groups in the BX, Cherryville,
rural Lumby and rural Enderby.
“We are trying to see what programs they have a need for,” said
Kathryn Birnie, regional program co-ordinator.
“It’s all about building relationships with them.”
Among the groups Birnie has met with are community clubs and schools
in all of the communities so they know that she is available to help
them with policing issues.
“I give them information so they can see where we can work
together,” she said.
Among the matters arising is whether there is a need for a Block
Watch initiative in parts of rural Lumby.
“In our community, there’s a great deal of interest to participate
(in Safe Communities), particularly with the seniors,” said Rick
Fairbairn, rural Lumby director.
Birnie works closely with the RCMP detachments in Lumby, Enderby and
Vernon.
And Insp. Steve McVarnock, officer in charge of the North Okanagan
RCMP, says the new Safe Communities program fits in well with the
force’s 2008 priorities of crime reduction, communications and road
safety.
“I see an opportunity with Kathryn and the electoral areas to drive
home those priorities,” he said.
“We are not working in isolation but together.”
McVarnock expects the RCMP may about some criminal and safety issues
as a result of Birnie’s interaction with the public.
“She will link with the local detachment commanders and say this is
a concern or something of interest and they can tailor their
activities around that,” he said.
The North Okanagan’s five electoral areas are geographically large,
but Birnie is prepared to meet the needs of residents.
“With a vehicle and laptop computer, I am mobile and accessible.”
Local governments, both large and small, have approached the provincial
government with concerns that the funding system for police services in British
Columbia is unfair.
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