As the City of Kelowna and RCMP step up patrols and enforcement in the downtown core in the wake of growing crime complaints, across town in Rutland, it’s hoped that doesn’t pull resources from an area also in dire need of more attention.
“I think it’s fantastic that the downtown is finally getting some recognition that they need help, but what I’m also seeing is a real neglect for Rutland,” said David Lea, a Rutland business owner. “The community in Rutland, they pay their taxes too and they deserve protection.”
Lea owns Toshido Mixed Martial Arts on Highway 33 and says crime and social issues are a regular occurrence.
“There’s fires here probably three, four times a week,” Lea told Global News.
In addition to fires, Lea said open drug use, property damage and violence are frequent.
“Our staff have been, you know, threatened with everything from knives to axes,” Lea said.
He worries about the safety of his clients, many of whom are children, as well as surrounding business operators and their customers.
The problems, Lea said, increased dramatically about two years ago when a number of social services were relocated to the area.
At a news conference on Tuesday, RCMP said with Kelowna being a growing city with growing challenges, priorities have to be triaged.
“We can’t be everywhere all the time but we will be continuing to monitor the challenges and moving our resources as required to make sure that we’re meeting the needs of everybody in the city,” said Kelowna RCMP Supt. Chris Goebel.
Goebel said police will continue working with Rutland businesses on their challenges.
He also pointed to a community liaison officer, recently designated for the area, and other initiatives to combat crime in the area.
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“Our targeted enforcement initiatives that we have put into place have have specifically supported Rutland, and we’ve had some really good results,” Goebel said.
Whether more RCMP officers are needed, Goebel had this to say.
“RCMP officers are finite, like any other police service, and it’s really, I think, if you asked any leader of a police service, they’re always going to want more,” Goebel said. “So we can always do more with more resources.”
In last month’s budget deliberations, city council approved funding for four more RCMP officers, which brings the total number to 33 additional officers since 2023.
Deputy mayor Rick Webber said policing costs make up a huge chunk of the budget and are growing every year.
“This tax increase we were planning for this year over 4 per cent, 2.5 per cent is just RCMP,” Webber said. “The cost of providing RCMP is going up.”
While there are no immediate plans to increase the police budget beyond what has been allocated for the year, police enforcement, many agree, is only one part of the solution.
“The question you have to ask yourself is, how many officers is just right for a city our size and for the crime rate,” Webber said.
“Our staffing is about right for a municipality our size already, and studies have shown that you can’t police your way out of these crime situations.”
In an email to Global News, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General stated that, through Budget 2025, the province is investing $67 million over three years for community safety and enforcement programs.
It added that the province is providing $5 million for the new community safety and targeted enforcement (C-STEP) program, which provides police with enhanced tools, technology and investigative resources to curb property crimes.
The Kelowna RCMP has secured $18,690.40 in C-STEP funding to support 1 project to date while the West Kelowna RCMP has not yet applied for C-STEP funding.
On Tuesday, Goebel said police enforcement is only one part of the solution, saying a gap in addiction treatment options, must also be addressed.
Lea agrees and said more needs to be done to help those struggling as well as business operators like himself.
“I have so much empathy for these people, but not at the expense of my safety and my family’s well-being,” Lea said.
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