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Penticton council supports giving bylaw officers more authority to enforce ‘public nuisance’

New program would give bylaw officers legal authority to resolve disorderly conduct calls
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(Western News file photo)

Bylaw officers in Penticton could soon have the legal authority to enforce disorderly conduct in public spaces.

City council supported the Safe Public Places Bylaw, a program that would give officers more power when responding to calls on public disturbance, drug paraphernalia, spitting, vandalism, loitering and harassment, among others.

With Penticton police officers having the largest caseloads in B.C., council gave first reading Tuesday, March 21, to the program that would free up the local police force and give bylaw officers the legal authority to support safe public places.

“It is unfortunate that municipalities have to pick up the slack that the province is leaving with us,” said Coun. Amelia Boultbee.

Some form of the bylaw already exists in places like Vancouver and Kelowna but has yet to be adopted in B.C. municipalities with populations of under 75,000 people.

It highlights sleeping in doorways, panhandling in drive-thrus and vandalizing washrooms as among the calls bylaw officers would have the legal authority to respond to.

“This is about helping people get the services that they need and not about being punitive and handing out fines,” said Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield. “We pay for RCMP, bylaw, community safety officers and the fire department, so that is something that we have some control over.

“It’s important that we work in conjunction with the other services that provide the other pillars and that’s exactly what this bylaw does.”

Council unanimously voted in favour of giving the bylaw first reading and will now be forwarded to local health officers for review, as well a public engagement period.

Coun. Campbell Watt was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

Identifying the person causing a “public nuisance,” asking them to leave and requesting volunteer compliance is what bylaw officers will first be instructed to do when responding to such calls.

They will also undergo training to use defensive equipment, when “things aren’t resolved peacefully,” according to Blake Laven, the city’s director of development services.

The bylaw makes exemptions for overdose prevention sites.

“I do have concerns in regards to when we’re moving people out of public spaces, where do they go?” said coun. Isaac Gilbert. “I know we’re trying our best here to not induce more stigma, but we also realize how much of our (2023) budget were bylaw and law enforcement services.”

As part of the proposed bylaw, council also discussed public-washroom vandalism, which has become a “weekly” occurrence in Penticton and an expensive one to absorb from the city’s end, according to staff.

If passed later in the year, the Safe Public Places Bylaw would give officers the legal right to deal with such situations without the involvement of RCMP. They would also acquire the designation of “peace officers,” which gives bylaw additional protection when responding to calls.

It also includes soliciting at bus stops and drive-thrus, public nudity, urination and the takeover of places that aren’t being used as intended.

“I’m in total support of (the bylaw) and it’s a long time coming,” said coun. Ryan Graham.

READ MORE: Penticton considering new bylaw to enforce ‘public nuisance’ at bus stops, drive-thrus


@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com

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