(File photo: CFJC Today).
NEW DETACHMENT?

More Mounties on the way for Kamloops as Battle Street Detachment faces space crunch

Jan 2, 2025 | 3:52 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops RCMP is in the midst of a five year plan to increase the number of officers serving the community by five members each year.

The city approved the officers, but the Kamloops RCMP doesn’t immediately get the new Mounties with detachments across Canada competing for new recruits out of depot.

Kamloops however has been successful in bringing new members to the city in recent years.

“We have just allocated our new five officers and positions have been established, we’re just in the process of staffing them,” said Supt. Jeff Pelley. “So, we have identified officers that would be embedded in our traffic services, our general investigation support team, that would support our front line, as well as our target enforcement unit. So, two officers in the target enforcement unit as well as our general investigation support team. We are in the process of staffing those now and two of five of those have been staffed.”

While the detachment is growing each year, the physical building itself is bursting at the seams. The city of Kamloops has been investigating possible solutions to the space crunch, with possible ideas set to come forward to council in 2025.

“We have a lot interim measures in place with regards to our infrastructure and we continue to be effective while we work with the municipality on the development and ask for a newer facility. And that should be forthcoming and priority in 2025 as those conversations and engagements and meetings are underway,” said Pelley.