Max Lentz, Thompson-Nicola Regional District director for Thompson Headwaters (Area B)wants to see additional police coverage of the area.
In an email dated Jan. 17 to Supt. Randy Kolibaba, commander of South East District Traffic Services, Lentz noted that Clearwater RCMP’s Traffic Services has been short one member for two years.
He said that a reserve member was hired at the end of August for a three-month contract to assist with the shortfall.
The member is based in Kamloops but travels to the North Thompson on a daily basis.
“This service made a great impact on the residents of Blue River as they were happy to see some police presence on a regular basis,” Lentz wrote.
The Blue River-Avola representative requested that the permanent open position in the Clearwater detachment be filled as quickly as possible.
“Short of this, the reappointment of this reserve member is critical for the people in the Blue River area,” he said.
Kolibaba replied by saying he had authorized the re-hiring of the reserve constable on a short-term basis.
“To be as brutally honest as I can be,” wrote the superintendent, “as a result of funding shortfalls and budgetary pressures being placed on the provincial policing business line, we (Traffic Services) have been required to run strategic vacancies to offset those funding shortfalls.”
A copy of the email correspondence was given to District of Clearwater council during its meeting last Tuesday.