The RCMP work in conjunction with bylaw enforcement officers, who prefer not to use a heavy-handed approach because it is not the best way to deal with transients who break the rules. It’s all about respect. File photo
Be nice.
That’s what Patrick Swayze told his bouncers in the movie Roadhouse. But it didn’t stop the mayhem.
However, you’d be hard pressed to convince Don Moore that a heavy hand is the best practice.
The bylaw enforcement officer for the Town of Oliver believes that working respectfully with people to encourage compliance produces more desirable results than the heavy hand approach (fines, expulsion and seizure of property).
“I have personally witnessed the negative results associated with heavy-handed enforcement of park bylaws when there are large numbers of young people involved,” Moore said in a letter to the mayor and council.
“The wrong tactics to deal with those youth can often result in increased vandalism, assaults and outright defiance of enforcement authorities,” Moore pointed out.
He noted that the “voluntary compliance” approach is the only way to achieve reasonable levels of compliance.
Moore pointed out that, in only three days that he and a fellow officer were working in Lion’s Park, they noticed the transient population “cleaned up their acts” considerably.
Moore said their approach was to get park users to voluntarily end their overt consumption of beer, alcohol and marijuana use. This was helped along with hints of the “stick” that could follow if they didn’t comply, Moore noted.
There were a few repeat offenders who had their beer poured out, with warnings of further, more costly actions if they were caught a third time.
“Our use of a respectful and civil manner in dealing with the park users is well received and has already resulted in some transients actively chastising others in their group when park rules/bylaws are being broken.”
Moore said groups of fruit pickers may create garbage where they are sitting, but they tend to remove the waste before exiting the park.
Regarding dogs in the park, Moore said that problem has dissipated, except for a few locals “who somehow feel they are exempt from the park bylaws.”
Moore explained that visiting park users are mainly young people in their late teens to early 20s. Many are from Quebec where it is legal to consume wine and beer in parks, he noted.
“These kids are far from home and, like our own kids of that sort of age, they want to hang out with their peers.”
Moore said that seasonal workers who pick fruit believe they work hard and spend most of their money in town. Therefore, they have a right to use Lion’s Park like anyone else.
“Our experience is that the vast majority do learn and generally will comply with reasonable rules in our parks, if given a respectful chance.”
Of course, there will always be the “rebels” who are not willing to comply with anyone’s rules, Moore commented.
“Those are the people that we (staff) will identify and will take whatever level of enforcement action is necessary to force compliance or oust from our public parks.”
Moore said they are aware of an element among legitimate fruit pickers that are not here to work. Some of these people are only here to party, sell drugs, steal and “chase about after the young women,” the officer stated.
“Some of those people are known criminals who use the picker population as “camouflage” to mask their involvement in petty crimes.”
Moore said there is also a “resident of Oliver” population of rather rough characters, some with extensive criminal backgrounds and hard-core alcohol or drug abusers who frequent Lion’s Park. He noted these are the people who are often involved in the incidents that generate complaints, such as public urination.
Moore said these individuals are encouraged to leave the park when they break the rules.
At a recent public meeting, it was suggested that a steering committee be established to educate seasonal workers on the park rules before they arrive in Oliver next year.
By Lyonel Doherty
