The regional district wants a study on how the new correctional centre near Oliver will impact rural policing requirements in the South Okanagan.
The board passed a motion last Thursday to petition the attorney general to conduct the study. Chairman Mark Pendergraft said the proposed outcome is that the Ministry of Justice authorize an increase of two officers for the South Okanagan Similkameen rural policing contract.
The correctional facility in Senkulmen Business Park is under construction and is expected to begin operation in 2017.
“This will change the face of the rural Oliver area and is anticipated to have a significant impact on policing requirements,” said Bill Newell, the regional district’s chief administrative officer.
As a result, both the Town of Oliver and the regional district have requested additional police resources.
Mayor Ron Hovanes recently sent a letter to Justice Minister Suzanne Anton wanting assurances that Oliver won’t be on the hook for additional policing costs to service the prison.
He noted that a facility of this size may require up to four full-time officers to handle the police files.
There are currently eight members assigned to the Oliver detachment, comprised of one sergeant, one corporal and six constables.
Newell said there is a legitimate concern that the increase in population associated with the construction and staffing of the jail will adversely impact these resources.
But Anton previously told the Chronicle that the ministry does not anticipate increased pressure on local police resources when the prison becomes operational. She noted the facility will actually reduce pressure on local police lockups.
Perry Clark, director of the ministry’s policing and security branch, said the Okanagan Correctional Centre remains an RCMP provincial force jurisdiction. He noted that any costs associated with providing police services to the facility will remain with the province.
While the ministry doesn’t anticipate additional pressure on local resources, the RCMP will respond to any arising issues at the prison, Clark noted.
The numbers
In the second quarter of 2014, the Oliver RCMP responded to 835 calls for service, compared with 744 calls received during the second quarter of 2013, an increase of 12 per cent.
According to the regional district, Oliver police responded to seven per cent more Criminal Code files during the second quarter of 2014 than during the same quarter in 2013.
Newell said it is anticipated that an influx of approximately 1,000 prison construction workers over the next two years, followed by a permanent increase in population will add to the pressure on current police resources.
“An increase in provincially funded RCMP officers assigned to the Oliver detachment must be considered in light of the anticipated community growth associated to the jail,” Newell said.
He noted the towns of Oliver and Osoyoos came very close during the last provincial census to surpassing the 5,000 population figure.
This will impact their policing agreement with the province, meaning they will have to pay 70 per cent of policing costs once they surpass 5,000 people.
In a meeting with RCMP superintendent Kevin Hewco last summer, corrections officials confirmed that the prison would ultimately contain 360 regular use cells, including 18 for females and 36 assigned for segregation. There will also be 24 special management cells.
In total, the facility will be able to hold 666 inmates and will employ 245 correctional officers and approximately 50 civilian employees.
Its annual operating budget will be nearly $20 million.
Newell said that Corrections BC forecasts the regional population will increase by at least 1,000 people, and there is little doubt that this would impact police resources in the Town of Oliver and Area C.
“It remains to be seen if there will be an influx of relatives of inmates or if some inmates take up residence locally upon their release.”
Newell said local police are mandated with the investigation of crimes committed within the prison. They are also called upon to assist with fingerprinting, photographing and interviewing inmates on behalf of other police forces for ongoing investigations, he added.
Newell said the area RCMP commander supports the call for additional resources.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
This conceptual drawing shows what the Okanagan Correctional Centre will look like.
