The Trail and District RCMP detachment have asked City Council to consider adding two more members to the force in this year’s budget. Sergeant Mike Wicentowich explains the hope is for one corporal and one constable with the cost between $300,000-$320,000 a year. Seventy per cent would be paid by the municipality and 30 per cent by the Province. There’s currently 22 members total at the Trail detachment and Sergeant Wicentowich feels the two additional positions would allow them to be more proactive in their efforts.
“You will see higher presence of officers in town if we end up getting two additional resources,” Sergeant Wicentowich states. “When you see a police officer patrolling around your town or walking downtown and making real connections, that has a powerful impact on crime and giving us the ability to solve investigations by being out there in the community as well as making connections with people and identifying what the issues are in town.”
Sergeant Wicentowichis is hopeful if the ask isn’t approved by council this year, it’s something that’s still possible in future.
“Mayor and council have been excellent through this whole process. They have a really full understanding of what goes on in the detachment and how the service is in the community and we respect any decision they make. I think, even if we aren’t immediately funded, that they will consider this as a long term plan to improve policing service in the area.”
New members haven’t been added to the Trail detachment since around the mid-2000’s when two constables joined the Crime Reduction Unit. Sergeant Wicentowich says those positions have been incredibly successful targeting prolific offenders and lately fentanyl drug trafficking.