POLICE PROMISE RAISES DOUBTS

City officials want RCMP managers to explain what became of a promised
unit of major crime and drug investigators, to be stationed as part of
the district's police contingent at the Aberdeen office.

City administrator Randy Diehl said he will ask the commander of the
RCMP's southeast district for clarification about assurances made by
B.C. deputy commissioner Bev Busson and B.C. Solicitor General Rich
Coleman.

Similar requests will also be made to Busson and Coleman.

In a letter to council dated Aug. 18, 2003, Busson said she intended
to establish a joint general investigation and street-level drug
enforcement team, comprising seven members, in Kamloops.

At the same time, Busson said three other members of the district's
major crimes unit would not move from Kamloops.

Diehl also said a similar verbal commitment came from Coleman in early
2004. Both commitments were made as city councillors pondered funding
increases to hire more city-funded RCMP officers.

To date, the promised unit has not been established and two of the
three major crimes officers that were to remain in Kamloops have been
transferred to Kelowna.

Further, Supt. Don Harrison, commander of the southeast district, says
there are no plans to put additional officers in the district office
in Kamloops.

"I don't see any more district personnel being put at the (Kamloops)
district office at this time," he said. "We've had no increases in
provincial positions for a number of years. Is Kamloops the No. 1
(staffing) priority? Not at all."

The Kamloops office of RCMP's southeast district, situated near the
Aberdeen Mall, is distinct from the City of Kamloops RCMP.

While the city pays the tab for the 106 officers staffed out of the
Battle Street detachment, the province and federal governments pay for
positions at the district office.

District officers serve a number of roles. Major crimes officers, for
example, investigate serious crimes in small communities without
dedicated investigators, in places like Barriere, Clearwater and Ashcroft.

As well, district officers will co-operate with city units when
requested, perhaps to help in the initial stages of a murder
investigation when time is critical and more manpower is needed.

The southeast district headquarters is located in Kelowna. In the past
few years, numerous officers have been moved from outlying regional
offices, including Kamloops, to the Kelowna headquarters. RCMP believe
the centralization of services is more efficient and a better use of
resources.

Diehl informed city council in February he was told the addition of 10
district officers at the Aberdeen office would indirectly aid the City
of Kamloops detachment.

"It's not the same as hiring a member, but there are some positive
effects from having extra members in the district office," said Diehl.

"That's what we were told. It's more helping hands in the region, and
what's good for the region is good for Kamloops."

Newly appointed Kamloops city detachment commander Supt. Jim Begley
said there is some advantage to having district officers nearby.

"We take advantage of district services all the time. If we need
something from the district, we get it. We can latch on to (district
resources) from anywhere, but it is easier if they are situated
locally," he said.

But Harrison disputed suggestions an infusion of district officers
would lighten the workload for Kamloops city officers.

Provincial officers do not do city police work, he said. While
arrangements are in place that allow for short-term sharing of
resources, there is no other operational or investigational benefit to
a municipal detachment from nearby district Mounties.

"(District officers) are too busy on their own," he
said.

"They may help for a few short days, and they are out of there. We are
trying to keep them in one building out of one commander. They work
out of Kelowna."

Diehl said he'd be disappointed if the promised Mounties don't
materialize. If nothing else, the addition of seven or more RCMP
salaries adds to the economic base of the community, especially at a
time when other RCMP jobs are leaving.

"There would be a direct economic benefit to having more (officers)
come here, there's no doubt," he said.

The RCMP closed a district communications centre located in Kamloops
this year and moved it to Kelowna. The move saw the transfer of 25
communications jobs to Kelowna.

Kamloops Mayor Mel Rothenburger added he'd like to know one way or the
other if the promised new positions will arrive or not.

"It's been a year," he said. "It would have been a bit of a bonus, in
a sense it probably would have been some assistance to our
detachment."