Kelowna to further study tiered policing model
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Kelowna council has directed staff to examine a tiered approach to policing, shifting focus toward assigning different types of calls to different responders.
The review follows a city-commissioned report that explored policing options, including staying with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or creating a municipal force, without recommending a preferred model.
City officials will study whether a tiered system could improve efficiency, strengthen oversight and help control rising costs, which have climbed sharply in recent years and are projected to keep increasing.
Data shows a significant share of calls involve mental health, substance use and social disorder, raising the possibility of diverting those to specialized responders while sworn officers focus on serious crime.
