Kamloops RCMP experiencing more mental health calls, Car 40 interventions increasing

Lecky met with the Community Services Committee on Thursday to speak to the increase in calls for service. He says sometimes the detachment doesn’t have a choice. Kamloops RCMP has 126 to 130 full-time officers available, but it only has one full-time Car 40 team, consisting of a police officer and mental health nurse. There’s another officer in the Car 40 program who works alone.

“One client this past summer we dealt with 50 times in a month,” noted Lecky. “So that kind of gives you an appreciation for the pressure we’re under on a daily basis. We’re trying to work more focused on certain clients now to try and work at a more intensive case management, team approach.”

Kamloops RCMP would love another mental health nurse to complete a second team. The program has been awaiting funding for the position from Interior Health, which hasn’t committed to anything.

“We are looking at all options to make sure that the individuals who do have mental health needs, that we have services available to assist, including working with our partners,” said Interior Health VP of Pandemic Response Karen Bloemink. “So efforts are underway. It’s furthering work we’ve already had in play. We’ve known the pandemic is exacerbating this in some circumstances.”

Lecky understands the restrictions that come with limited resources. He says Car 40 is useful when it comes to initial mental health calls, but when situations become volatile, they take a back seat.

“We don’t put civilians at risk when we don’t have to, but more often than not, these don’t happen when you have the Car 40 and they’re ready to go. It often happens when they’re not available. It happens at all times of the evening and night.”

Lecky says the more resources the better, but it’s difficult to exactly quantify the impact of a second full Car 40 team.

by Chad Klassen

Kamloops RCMP experiencing more mental health calls, Car 40 interventions increasing

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