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Supt. Bill McKinnon to retire

Supt. Bill McKinnon to retire | iNFOnews.ca

By Marshall Jones

Kelowna RCMP have confirmed that Supt. Bill McKinnon is retiring from service after 38 years with the RCMP.

McKinnon told his officers yesterday that he was leaving his post at the end of the month. He took over the top position in May, 2004 from then-Supt. Don Harrison. He was in charge during a drug crisis that plagued the city's streets from 2004 to 2006 and took a public role, speaking at justice forums demanded by the public. He brought in foot and bike patrols and other innovations to clean up the streets.

He's been outspoken against gangs, including the Hell's Angels, by leading a public relations campaign. In 2005, he released a list of Kelowna property and businesses owned by members of the gang.

He's also a former president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police. 

He's the third chief to retire this spring in the Thompson-Okanagan area. Supt. Yves Lacasse has retired from his post as chief of police of the Kamloops RCMP detachment and Insp. Brad Haugli is moving on from his position leading the Penticton RCMP.

"I can honestly say the highlight of my career was being appointed as the Detachment Commander of Kelowna Detachment in May 2004," McKinnon said in a release.

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Marshall Jones

Marshall Jones

News is best when it's local, relevant, timely and interesting. That's our focus every day.

We are on the ground in Penticton, Vernon, Kelowna and Kamloops to bring you the stories that matter most.

Marshall may call West Kelowna home, but after 16 years in local news and 14 in the Okanagan, he knows better than to tell readers in other communities what is "news' to them. He relies on resident reporters to reflect their own community priorities and needs. As the newsroom leader, his job is making those reporters better, ensuring accuracy, fairness and meeting the highest standards of journalism.

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