Sicamous RCMP Sgt. Murray McNeil clarified recently that "we still police the community 24/7," despite not having an officer in the detachment at night.
After Coun. Siobhan Rich asked about getting 24-hour policing in the district at the July 24 council meeting, McNeil explained tho have someone in office at all times would require 10 to 11 members, which would come at a cost.
In a July 30 phone interview, however, McNeil stressed the community continues to be covered around the clock by Sicamous officers who, after hours, are basically on call from home. In what is called Operational Readiness, two officers are on standby every night and ready to respond whenever contacted by 911 dispatch. They will go out as needed, even if they're scheduled to work their regular shift the following morning.
"It's a big commitment for officers in small communities," McNeil said, adding the policing model is not unique to Sicamous and is actually used in many other municipalities, including Chase, Clearwater, Golden and Nakusp, among others.
"Many small detachments... they're all under the same model," he said. "The smaller communities, it's just not in the tax base to have that cost of 24-hour policing."
McNeil also stressed it is Sicamous officers responding to any night calls, not members from the Salmon Arm detachment.
"Salmon Arm RCMP do not respond to calls in Sicamous," he stated, adding they only can if there's a major situation and they're called in to assist. "We don't just lock the doors and go home. There are two Sicamous officers on call every night."
