The Mayor of Vernon is calling the Taxpayers Association's criticisms of the city bylaw officers unfounded. Wayne Lippert says, last year at this time citizens were asking for more security downtown and so council delivered. " The majority of citizens I 've heard from are welcoming the bylaw officers and believe they're doing a good job." The Vernon Taxpayers Association says, the bylaw officers new uniform with a flack jacket is an intimidation tactic. Lippert says, the Workers Compensation Board and their union require them to wear it.
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By Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISS FM
Concerns Over Heavy-Handed Bylaw Officers
A watchdog group feels Vernon's bylaw officers are becoming a second tiered police force.Tony Stamboulieh from the Vernon Taxpayers Association is raising complaints of the officers
intimidating people, and acting like police officers.He tells KISS FM, 'If we need more police to enforce law or to police crime, then the answer is community policing. It is not having a second tier force acting as policemen and being weaponized.'Mayor Wayne Lippert says the public response to the increase in bylaw officers has been pretty good. 'I think a lot of people believe bylaw people are basically meter maids and that's incorrect. They are charged to the job of upholding our bylaws. With the increase in manpower, people are seeing an increase in enforcement. I don't believe it's because they're any more aggressive, it's because we have more officers to do the job.' Lippert stands behind the work of the 11 member bylaw department.
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