Kelowna RCMP arresting the same 20 people every week

Twenty people in Kelowna accounted for a whopping 3,575 arrests in 2021 and 2022.

“That works out to approximately 60 calls for service per person a year,” RCMP Insp. Beth McAndre told Kelowna city council today, Feb. 27. “That means, on average, our officers are arresting each of our top 20 offenders more than once a week every week for the last two years.”

The 20 were all experiencing homelessness, mental health and substance use issues, she added.

READ MORE: Calls to Kelowna RCMP down by 6% in 2022

Despite that, she expects crime statics generated by these kinds of prolific offenders to continue and increase, at least in the short term.

The system for dealing with repeat offenders is changing following a provincially funded report that came out last fall with 28 recommendations but most have yet to be implemented.

“I believe the 28 recommendations being brought forward, and action on three recommendations, is a momentum forward,” McAndre said.

One of those three actions has been the hiring of more Crown counsellors to deal with prolific offenders, she said.

“I think that’s positive steps in the right direction,” McAndre said.

“It’s disheartening to hear 20% of crimes are committed by repeat offenders,” Coun. Mohini Singh said. “I’m looking forward to the day you come back to say it’s 5%.”

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