File photo by Liam Verster /Vernon Matters

By Liam Verster

City Hall Incident

Vernon investigating security upgrades following confrontation at city hall

Nov 10, 2025 | 5:15 PM

Vernon is looking to enhance its safety measures following an alleged incident at city hall in October.

At the regular meeting Monday, Nov. 10, Mayor Victor Cumming informed the public that there was an incident within the council chambers that raised concern about the building’s security measures and the safety of staff.

Cumming told Vernon Matters that he was sitting at his desk in the council chambers following a meeting in October when a man allegedly entered the room and became aggressive.

“We had finished [the meeting], council was in here, and an individual came in the door and came up to the centre where the mayor sits and began to give his opinion in a very loud voice using words that are not in the bible, and somewhat threatening to the mayor and to council, but definitely to the mayor,” Cumming said.

Bylaw and staff members reportedly convened on the council chambers and the man was escorted out of the building.

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“The incident was dealt with very effectively,” Cumming said.

“We just need to tighten up some of our protocols here at the city.”

At Monday’s meeting, Vernon’s Chief Administrative Officer, Peter Weeber, said staff had aready been directed to investigate security upgrades for the city hall building.

“We don’t have the [security] basics here just because it’s a building from the mid-1960’s,” the mayor told Vernon Matters.

Cumming noting the RCMP detachment is located directly next door but also added that if an incident escalated it could get out of control “faster than you could bring someone from next door,” so the security measures and protocols should be brought up to date.

The mayor said he was not frightened during the incident, noting there was a desk between him and the man, and though this was a serious confrontation he stated he had been in those types of situations before in the past and knew the basic protocol.

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said the male had departed city hall before officers arrived on the scene, and that the person was not identified or located after leaving.