— Council eases into the tricky issue of downtown security —
(OSOYOOS TIMES — July 11, 2007) —
Ever so gently, Osoyoos Town Council has dipped its toes into the choppy waters of the downtown security issue.
It's an important first step.
As most in town will recall, in the spring of 2006 the vandalism and theft problem was so bad “ particularly for three or four main stores in the downtown core “ that a number of merchants chipped in to hire a private security guard to patrol Main Street every night.
The move worked very well, cutting an almost out-of-control problem “ where stores were regularly having their large $1,000 front windows smashed “ down to almost no nightly vandalism and theft for the remainder of last summer.
That extra security ended last fall, and so far this summer there doesn't seem to be quite the same need.
But the Osoyoos Chamber of Commerce, which shared in the management of the security system last year, thinks the need to stem theft and vandalism is still there “ and Unity's Jamie Elder, a main push behind last year's security, agrees.
With the high numbers of summer transients and other visitors to town in summer, along with those in the South Okanagan with drug habits to feed, merchants continue to be concerned.
Now the Chamber has asked the Town to chip in and pay for, or at least help to pay for, added downtown security. The Chamber says the RCMP, with its staffing limitations, can't do it all, and it says local RCMP detachment commander Kurt Lozinski agrees.
The Chamber wants downtown patrols in the short term, and cameras in the long term.
Council made favourable noises about the need, and has asked its staff to prepare a report on the issue.
There are concerns about the costs of patrols and about cameras invading people's privacy “ but to its credit, Council is hinting that it thinks it can be part of the solution.
