A tremendous amount of work is occurring in Kelowna to actively reduce crime and increase residents’ sense of safety.
Darren Caul is Kelowna’s new Director of Community Safety.
The position was recently created, following a recommendation made in Bill McKinnon’s 2018 Public Safety Report presented to City Council in November.
Caul’s broader strategy is to take a balanced approach.
“It really is about tending to the root causes of crime and community safety in our city. Engaging many partners and stakeholders in those longer term approaches and solutions, while at the same time attending to the more immediate concerns and symptoms of those social issues in our community in which enforcement is one part.”
Since he was appointed last month, nighttime security patrols have been launched along the Rail Trail and RCMP is working with businesses in that area to look for ways to improve security.
The primary issue in the city of Kelowna is one of property related crime.
According to Caul, in 2018 property crime increased by 10 per cent but violent crime decreased by 19 per cent for the third year in a row.
“We're very focused on reducing actual crime, while also increasing the public’s sense of safety. We already have 87 per cent of Kelowna residents citing that they feel safe in this city. That’s pretty good but we know we can do better.”
Moving forward, Caul and his team are focused on short term, enforcement based strategies in tandem with partnerships, not only between social services and enforcement, but with community.
“Communities in relevant play an important part in the overall addressing crime and victimization and it’s through that partnership that we’re really going to make a difference,” said Caul, excited to get to work.