Kelowna RCMP at full compliment

Wayne Moore - Sep 21, 2009 / 5:15 pm CASTANET:

The Kelowna RCMP detachment is full. RCMP Superintendent Bill McKinnon, says for the first time, Kelowna has a full compliment of officers. "For the month of July, we billed at 132.6 and for August 139. I believe that's the highest I have ever reported of our 141 funded positions," says McKinnon. The RCMP has struggled to provide the number of members required by communities across the country, however, McKinnon says that is now changing. "The attrition rates within the RCMP are not nearly what they thought they would be. In fact, they have reduced training." McKinnon says 1,800 cadets were supposed to go through training. That number has now been reduced to 1,500. He says there will be a surplus across the country.

According to McKinnon, the economy has something to do with it. "For a while we really struggled to get recruits to join the organization. Given the economy, law enforcement is now a very attractive profession again." Meantime, McKinnon says Kelowna will be sending 25 members to the Olympics in Vancouver, including 15 on the municipal side. Most of those, including McKinnon, will be posted in Whistler. Despite the loss of those members, he believes Kelowna will be better served than it normally would be. "There are no court cases going ahead during that time. There is no training going ahead and all holidays have been cancelled for members in the detachment. Our numbers will actually be up compared to what we are used to dealing with."

Once the Olympics are over, McKinnon says a number of new officers are expected to make their way to the Okanagan. "Quite a number of them want to come to Kelowna afterwards because part of the deal in sending members to the Olympics is they get a preferred location of their choice once the Olympics were over." McKinnon says he has already been notified that a number have indicated Kelowna as their desired posting.