Community Policing

What is a Community Policing Office?

Community Policing Offices are part of the RCMP Community Policing initiative in Kelowna and the Central Okanagan. Community Policing Offices (CPOs) have been established to better enable the police to serve their community and likewise enable the community support their police service. CPOs are staffed by community volunteers. Members of the public attending at these offices may receive assistance in reporting minor offences, dealing with police members or getting information relating to crime prevention and community policing concerns. The CPOs are not high pressure environments, but rather the opposite. A CPO is a community-based, non-threatening office the public may go to when they must deal with matters relating to personal problems or issues within the community.

How Can I Help the CPO Program?

The CPO program is looking for people who want to contribute time to their community and the police. Please read and answer the following questions:

1. Are you a resident at least 19 year of age and a resident of the area?
2. Have no criminal record?
3. Can you work within a structured environment?
4. Can you work with other people?
5. Can you commit 4 hours per week for a period of one year?
6. Do you have good writing and speaking skills?
7. Have no health or other problems that may impede you working in an office/community environment?

If you can answer yes to all the above questions, and can pass the security screening required by the RCMP, you might find the Community Policing Office rewarding.

Objectives of Community Policing Offices

1. Establish good communication between residents, businesses and community groups.
2. Increase public awareness of policing issues through effective communication with the community.
3. Provide a de-centralized office system accessible to the community.
4. Increase community involvement in Crime Prevention & Community Policing activities through the utilization of qualified volunteers both in the office and throughout the community.
5. Provide localized facilities for RCMP personnel to use as required for their duties.

For further information about Community Policing in these areas please phone: 470-6246

WHAT DO COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICES DO?

As we have stated, the average Community Policing Office is not a high-pressure area. Currently office personnel respond to routine enquiries from the general public, initiate non-emergency crime reports, advise the public on crime prevention programs available and maintain a number of ongoing programs such as: seniors contact, media liaison file, business contact list, etc.

THE FUTURE

It is the desire of the Kelowna RCMP to have these offices become more involved with community activities and as they (our CPOs) become more established we hope they will host programs such as: RCMP Venturer Scouting, Rover Scouting, local crime analysis and RCMP Community Consultative Committees.

COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICES

LAKE COUNTRY 3231 Berry Road Winfield, B.C. V4V 1T8 Phone 766-2288		PEACHLAND 4431 - 6th Street Peachland, B.C. V0H 1X0 Phone 767-2623		WEST KELOWNA 2390 Dobbin Road West Kelowna, B.C. V4T 2H9 Phone 250-707-8022
MISSION - EAST KELOWNA 4065 Lakeshore Road Kelowna, B.C. V1W 1V7 Phone 764-5004		RUTLAND 115 McIntosh Road Kelowna, B.C. V1X 2C5 Phone 765-6355		KELOWNA R.C.M.P. 350 Doyle Avenue Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 6V7 Phone 762-3300