Bylaw enforcement officer Donald Lowndes talks to a group of fruit pickers in Lion’s Park. Photos by Lyonel Doherty
The man in the business suit pulled into Lion’s Park, got out of his car and nonchalantly unzipped his pants and started urinating in full public view.
Bylaw enforcement officer Donald Lowndes couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The men’s restroom was only metres away, yet this man chose to relieve himself right in the parking lot. But it turned out to be an expensive pee break because he was fined $150.
Lowndes, who works for SOS Security, has seen a lot of weird stuff in Oliver and wears his skin pretty thick. But he walks softly and carries no stick because that method seems to work, particularly in Lion’s Park.
“It’s simply communicating with people and not talking down to them . . . it goes a long way,” he said. “I treat people according to their behaviour, not how they dress. The moment I don’t treat everyone the same, I should quit my job.”
Lowndes, a licenced security guard, can be seen roaming Lion’s Park with a keen eye for infractions, such as open liquor and dogs off leash. And while many people lay the blame on fruit pickers and transients, Lowndes said most of the problems stem from the locals.
One day he approached a local man who didn’t pick up after his dog took a dump.
“He verbally attacked me and said why don’t you pick on the “Frenchies” who are defecating in the park.”
In another incident, four business people had open liquor in the park but were very cooperative when informed about the infraction.
Lowndes said one older gentleman picked up after his pet and proceeded to throw the feces in the river.
The officer said locals rarely apologize for their behaviour, noting he has had several seasonal workers in Lion’s Park apologize to him for breaking the rules.
One young man had an open can of beer and became aggressive when Lowndes cited the bylaw.
“He came back the next day and apologized.”
The individual told Lowndes about a bad experience he had with a heavy-handed police officer (in another community), which is why he was confrontational in Oliver.
Lowndes has learned how to deal with locals with behavioural disorders by asking them about their problem. “Understanding people is a huge step in doing this job,” he pointed out.
But of course, there are some people who don’t respond well to anything you say, and that’s when the RCMP have to get involved.
Lowndes said they had to issue an expulsion letter to one individual in the park, and another fellow was charged with assault.
There have been a few drug seizures as well.
Don Moore of SOS Security said Lion’s Park is a different park this year, thanks to Lowndes’ approach.
Moore noted that last year it was very common to see dogs running loose, with people opening liquor and drinking it because nobody was there telling them they couldn’t.
“Last year it was somewhat of a free for all . . . it was their (fruit pickers’) park. This year it’s not their park; it belongs to the town.”
Lowndes said when people see him coming in Lion’s Park they dump their liquor before he has to ask them.
The officer stated that many seasonal workers now police themselves in terms of keeping the park clean. Lowndes does his part every day by volunteering to pick up garbage before he dons his bylaw enforcement uniform.
Looking at the heavy-handed approach that other communities take, Lowndes said he could not operate under that ideology.
“Some places I wouldn’t work for. I think the method we’re using here is effective.”
Lowndes shakes hands before patrolling another area of Lion’s Park.
By Lyonel Doherty
