Falkland Airs Police Issues

CHBC VIDEO Police Plan Panned
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Peter McIntyre Thursday, 26 August 2010 15:41107.5 KISSFM

Residents of Falkland have had their chance to sound-off to RCMP management about the North Okanagan's new policing model. More than 100 people attended a meeting Wednesday on the issue that critics say has impacted response times and police presence in the community of 600 west of Vernon. RCMP Superintendent Reg Burgess outlined the plan and took questions over the two hour session where he heard that residents want to get officers back in their community. Burgess tells KISS FM, "We can't require police officers to live in a community the way it used to be many years ago, and we also can't reasonably expect all members to be working excessive on-call." He says his response wasn't popular with some of the residents. "Some say they want their own police men and that's all they want to hear. And they have a good point as it would be great if we could have well known personal police men in every community but the reality of today is that's pretty hard to do."

Burgess says under the new model there will always be an officer in the North Okanagan able to respond to Falkland calls, but they will have to drive there first from places like Enderby and Armstrong.He says the coverage will be more consistent and sustainable than under the old system.

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Falkland Meets RCMP Residents Not Satisfied With Answers Kate Bouey 8/26/2010 105.7 SUNFM

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Falkland residents have told senior RCMP officers that they don't like a new North Okanagan policing model. They feel that the loss of three officers assigned to their village has left them with little law enforcement. About 130 people showed up to a community meeting Wednesday evening to ask police who was dealing with speeders and impaired drivers on Highway 97 which cuts through the village. Columbia Shuswap Regional District director Rene Talbot says people left the 2-1/2 hour session dissatisfied with the answers. ``There were a number of people who asked questions. There were no answers and some of the answers I just do not believe,'' says Talbot. Burgess admits officers will often have to travel from other locales to attend incidents but he believes that in most cases, this will be faster than before. He says he'll be back to talk to residents in a few months. ``We want to take a read from the community,'' says Burgess, adding, ``I think it is very fair to ask to be given that length of time.'' Burgess indicates that there is no going back to the old-style policing system.