Photo: Jon Manchester - Castanet

RCMP in the Central Okanagan will go with a data-based approach to help with deployment of police resources.

Kelowna RCMP Supt. Nick Romanchuk brought that idea forward as part of a four-year crime reduction strategy.

The strategy, which covers 2016 through 2019, strives to reduce overall crime five per cent by 2019.

"If we are going to make decisions, let's base it on data and solid evidence. It's easy for me to walk into council and say I need certain things, but I should be able to back it up as well," Romanchuk told council.

"That's what this whole process is about. It's about gathering the data and analyzing it in such a way that we can show why we need what we're asking for."

Romanchuk said data will track the actual time it takes for an investigation. Previously, those times were based on estimates.

He said it will take about a year to collect enough data to be useful.

Data collection is part of a four-pronged strategy to policing in Kelowna, which saw an 11 per cent rise in the crime rate in 2015.

Preliminary figures for last year show a rate of 97.2 crimes per 1,000 people.

Coun. Luke Stack said in 2009, the rate was 128 crimes per 1,000 people, and while the rate has been going down, it did experience an uptick last year.

Stack wondered if Romanchuk had the resources to meet that target.

"I have the optimism. I'm not certain I have the resources," said Romanchuk.

"We have to make sure, as we continue to grow, and if we meet the targets we set ... I think we'll be in good shape to do that."

Since Christmas, Romanchuk said on almost every single night shift, police are arresting people.

"We're arresting them as they leave break and enters, as they drive through the community, we're stopping cars and seizing guns. That's a very regular occurrence, but we're not seeing the impact we should."

He said two years ago it would have made an impact, but not now because of the sheer volume they are dealing with.

Romanchuk said about 45 per cent of all calls are police related. Part of the strategy is to utilize other resources to help deal with some of those matters.

As for this year, Coun. Mohini Singh said she is concerned about what she sees as an early increase to the homeless numbers in the city. She said she is concerned about summer.

"We plan to have four teams of two people on a bike patrol, seven days a week. One police officer and one bylaw enforcement officer.

"We are in a better position resource-wise this year. We had to pull back some of our downtown enforcement unit last year just to provide a basic response to the rest of the community."

Mayor Colin Basran said he and council can empathize with police. He said they can't do anything right in the sense that they are damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

"What I am encouraged by, and no different than the oath council has taken, enforcement is just one avenue," said Basran.

"That's reflective in this new strategy ... partnering with other agencies in our community. It's not just law enforcement."

"We all play a part in this," said Basran.