Vernon council expected to vote on overnight security

Members of Vernon city council are expected to vote on an option for overnight security at their council meeting today.

In a notice of motion made in June, Coun. Scott Anderson suggested looking into hiring private security to patrol the downtown overnight to compensate for when bylaw staff are off duty.

“Hiring private security will send a message to numerous audiences, including perpetrators, businesses, and citizens, that Vernon takes safety and security seriously and is doing everything possible to maintain the city as a safe location in which to live and do business,” he said in his notice of motion.

But in a twist, City staff recommended that council support an option that would fund two full time seasonal bylaw compliance officers at a cost of $134,600.

City Staff argued that hiring private security, as originally suggested would be a less effective option in patrolling the downtown core because ” private security personnel cannot enforce municipal bylaws such as the Parks and Public places Bylaw, nor do they have the established rapport with the RCMP detachment members,” the report said.

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If approved, the two bylaw compliance members would work five shifts a week from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. from May 1 to Sept. 30 in the city’s downtown business improvement areas.

The bylaw officers would be responsible for patrolling on foot and in their vehicles while observing criminal activity overnight and reporting the incidents to police and through their department.

“Bylaw contraventions found would also be dealt with including inappropriate overnight sheltering, the building of structures in parks and shopping carts abandoned on public property,” the staff report said.

The other two options going before council include an option that would fund one full time employee, patrolling only in their vehicle because of safety reasons and reporting to the RCMP at cost of $66,300.

The other option would involve two bylaw officers patrolling on foot and in their vehicle for seven shifts a week at a total cost of $185,000.

The City of Vernon isn’t alone in exploring the idea of private security. Several Okanagan communities have implemented the option for their communities including the city of Kelowna, West Kelowna, and Enderby.