RCMP working with city to prevent criminals from visiting Kelowna businesses

Kelowna RCMP are running their 11th year of the Inadmissible Patrons Policy this summer to keep residents safe in the city. Under the BC trespass act, this policy gives police the authority to identify and remove individuals from a premises who have chosen a high-risk lifestyle and may be a danger to others surrounding them, according to an RCMP media release issued today, July 4. The voluntary program is a partnership between businesses, RCMP and the City of Kelowna aimed at ensuring safety goals are met to ensure safe spaces for all residents to gather in the community without cause of fear. “The goal... is to ensure the safety of our community from those who choose to live a high-risk lifestyle,” said Cpl. Guillaume Tanguay, with the Proactive Enforcement Unit, in the release. The individuals who may be removed from premises may be involved in or associated with crime or gang activities, violent criminal activities or have a history of violent or firearm activities. Individuals may also be involved in drug trades, or may be a person who is subject to a duty to warn, RCMP said. RCMP may remove subject individuals from businesses including restaurants, bars and hotels. “This program is the most proactive approach to deter public violence before it occurs,” said Cpl. Tanguay. Businesses interested in this program can contact the Kelowna Proactive Enforcement Unit at E_Kelowna_IPP@rcmp-grc.gc.ca mailto:E_Kelowna_IPP@rcmp-grc.gc.ca . To contact a reporter for this story, email Bailey Zimmer mailto:bzimmer@infonews.ca  or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .