POLICE HAVE HANDLE ON DOWNTOWN CRIME

KELOWNA -- Police have a handle on the downtown crime problem, but
they're by no means winning, the force's top cop told a public
meeting Thursday night.

The RCMP's downtown enforcement unit, extra foot patrollers and
members of the drug unit worked well last summer, RCMP Supt. Bill
McKinnon told a crowd of 100 people at The Grand hotel.

This year's addition of the RCMP Gator, a quad-style utility vehicle
now patrolling beaches along the lakeshore, should also help. But
McKinnon admitted police can't solve the issue on their own.

"I think we're managing it. I don't want to say we're winning. It
changes weekly, it changes daily, depending on the weather."

Four officers dedicated to patrolling the downtown year-round will
continue their work, he said, and bike patrollers are ready to roll.
But McKinnon says he can't get new members in to bolster the force,
even though the city has set aside money for them. Instead, the
police must rely on overtime patrols and reservists to fill in.

"This is a community problem, not just an RCMP problem. We're looking
for ideas and help from the public . . . to make this community and
our downtown a safe place," he said.

Some media may be exaggerating the problem, McKinnon said. He'd have
no problem taking his family for a walk through City Park. But he
admits the situation is far from perfect, and he can't put an officer
on every corner.

Police deal with a large number of addicts, many of them prolific
offenders. Weeks after a sting that nabbed 41 suspected drug dealers
last July, many of the same people were arrested again, McKinnon said.

The RCMP spends $14 million in tax revenue to police the Central
Okanagan. With 133 officers, the ratio to civilians is less than one
to 800, said city manager Ron Born.

Leslie, a manager with Kelly O'Bryan's Restaurant, told the panel
she'd support a tax increase to have more police on patrol downtown.