RCMP staffing levels returning to normal as Penticton detachment presses for more officers

PENTICTON – The Penticton RCMP detachment is returning to normal personnel numbers following a busy summer of staff deployment on firefighting duties this summer.

Penticton RCMP Superintendent Ted De Jager told city council staffing for the detachment is returning to full strength after losing up to 10 per cent of the detachment to firefighting efforts.

He said the detachment was also in the process of requesting additional members for the Penticton rural areas of Okanagan Falls, Kaleden and Naramata, and two more members for the South Okanagan.

The detachment’s new Community Support and Enforcement team lead officer, Cpl. Laurie Rock, was introduced to council. De Jager said the team has two mandates, with a community health side headed by community mental health officer, Const. James Grandy.

De Jager said a youth officer position will be created at a future date.

Rock will also be in charge of Penticton’s two community response officers, in charge of traffic, and two First Nations policing positions.

De Jager presented quarterly police statistics to council, noting Penticton was experiencing a general increase in property crime, a trend taking place throughout the province.

“Overall, property crime in the regional area has gone up 10 per cent. The good news is violent crime has gone down three per cent. From a policing perspective, if we look at some of the events that have been going on in the southeast division such as the shootings in Kamloops last week, those are things we really have to target, that violent crime,” he said.

De Jager noted the break and enter – other category had risen substantially over the same period last year as thieves targeted outbuildings and sheds, calling it a more common occurrence in summer.

De Jager said education would play a big role in reducing that number.

“What’s troubling is the increase in Penticton’s case, as opposed to the regional district, is the 28 per cent increase in auto theft," he said. “Auto theft is one of those crimes where they are entirely preventable, through ignition interlock or cutoff device, or by putting the car in the garage. That’s one thing we really want to focus on. The deductible one would pay for having a car stolen once would pay for an ignition kill switch. That’s the type of information we want to get out to people."


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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