Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Anthony Corea

KAMLOOPS PEACE OFFICERS

City of Kamloops swears in first cohort of Community Services Officers with peace officer status

Sep 3, 2025 | 4:29 PM

KAMLOOPS – More than 20 Community Services Officers stepped into Kamloops council chambers on Tuesday, September 2. It was a historic milestone for the City of Kamloops as the first cohort of community services officers with peace officer status were sworn in.

“They’ve now got recognition for their role as a part of our protective services agencies in town. It’s great to see the first group get sworn in and badged up,” said CAO Byron McCorkell. “Now, this dream has come to fruition.”

The full list of core authorities under the Delegation of Bylaw Enforcement Authority Bylaw includes:

• Issuing bylaw notices
• Laying and serving municipal ticket information
• Laying information and serving summons under the Offence Act
• Executing search warrants in relation to bylaw offences
• Entering on or into property
• Requesting identification for the purpose of investigating or enforcing bylaws
• Seizing, possessing or transporting personal property and animals, where authorized by bylaw, statute or court order
• Exercising all other powers, duties and authorities granted by bylaw

TWO & OUT

PETERS: Celebration from Iranian ex-pats speaks louder than our skepticism of Trump

16h ago

LOOPED IN

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: March 5, 2026

Mar 05, 2026

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Supporting British Columbians through the Strategic Investment Fund

Mar 05, 2026

The designation provides important rights and protections, including recognition under the Criminal Code for assault or obstruction of a peace officer in the course of their duties.

“It formalizes their role,” noted McCorkell. “Gives them some enforcement powers in respect to requests for ID, or the ability to work with situations on the street. Obviously, we’re not in the charge side of things, but we now have a formal role with the protective services. Our partnership with the RCMP and peace officer status provides protection for our officers.”

The swearing in follows city council’s adoption of the Delegation of Bylaw Enforcement Authority Bylaw on July 30 of last year. The first batch of officers graduated this month, with plans to add more cohorts of officers in the future.

“We’re very pleased to keep moving this program forward,” added Community Services Manager Will Beatty.

“We’ll continue to recruit into the program to meet the needs of the community, and we’re an analytics-based system. Realistically, you’re seeing more calls for service. You’re generally seeing more confidence in the community for people to phone, and we’re a 24-hour service, which is, to my knowledge, one of the first 24-hour bylaw enforcement programs.”