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Penticton bylaw department increasing hours and days of service

The city is looking to hire six new bylaw officers by January
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Penticton bylaw services manager Tina Mercier is wanting to bring six new staff by January to increase enforcement hours from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Penticton’s bylaw department is hiring six new staff.

Following city council’s 2022 budget decision to expand the city’s bylaw department, recruitment is now underway for one bylaw intake administrator, one enforcement officer and four Community Safety officers. The six positions are aimed to be filled between now and Jan. 9, 2022.

“We will be able to provide full coverage from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.,” Tina Mercier, the city’s bylaw services manager told the safety and security committee last week. Currently, bylaw officers work during business hours until 5 p.m.

When the new staff are hired, bylaws will be providing enforcement services seven days a week as well.

“The bylaw services department provides residents with a variety of services related to regulatory issues, with the purpose of enhancing community safety and livability and to be a complement to police services,” said Mercier.

While the role of a bylaw officer is much different than a police officer, bylaw can triage a situation and quickly assess if police are required. They can also have a bigger presence downtown when more officers are hired.

City staff are also currently working on a new ‘Safe Streets and Public Places Bylaw’ which will come before council for first reading in early 2022.

Opportunities for feedback will be sought prior to adoption next spring.

The city is also getting three new police recruits in February who will be trained and ready to launch in summer.

Between 2021 and the 2022 budget, the city has agreed to hire seven new Mounties.

READ MORE: Three new recruits arrive at Penticton detachment in New Year

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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