Photo: Jon Manchester

RCMP refute a homeless man's claim he was rounded up on the streets of Penticton, given an ultimatum to get out of town, and unceremoniously dumped in downtown Kelowna.

Jeff says he arrived in Kelowna in a police "paddy wagon" along with three other people, just over a week ago.

"They're taking prolific offenders and anyone selling drugs and offering them to get on the bus – or they will invent charges to put you away for the summer so they don't have to deal with you," Jeff claimed.

Police in Penticton and Kelowna strongly deny the allegation.

"That's a good one," Penticton RCMP Supt. Kevin Hewko laughed. "We don't even have a paddy wagon."

The claim is ridiculous, he said. "It would be completely inappropriate. I'm not going to burden my colleagues in Kelowna."

Castanet spoke to clients of the Gospel Mission after hearing rumours of the practice from within law enforcement circles.

A group gathered on the street outside the shelter hadn't heard of people being bused from Penticton. But Jeff said he was dropped off "right here on Leon (Avenue)."

"I was told not to talk about it. There would be repercussions if it came back to me," he said.

Meanwhile, Supt. Nick Romanchuck at the Kelowna RCMP detachment said that's not something he's aware of.

"It would be completely unacceptable," he said. "I've spoken with Penticton, and they assure us this is not happening ... if it were, I'd be very, very unhappy."

Romanchuk said during his 25 years on the force, "we have transported people between communities ... but it's generally to assist somebody, not to get rid of a problem."

Jeff admitted he's run into trouble with the law.

"I am a prolific offender and got myself into trouble selling drugs," he said. "The cops are trying to clean up the streets for the summer. They told me they are tired of it."

Since then, he's had trouble collecting his welfare cheque and is living on the street, with only the belongings he can carry in a backpack.

"They're asking why I came here from Penticton. I don't really know what to tell them – I can't really say the police told me if I didn't leave I was gonna have a lot of problems. I don't really know who to talk to about that – what can a homeless drug dealer say?

"It's kind of scary that it's come down to that. Most people would not believe that story if you told them.

"I get why they're doing it, but on the same note, we are people, too."

At the Gospel Mission, executive director Randy Benson said he hasn't heard of people being bused out of Penticton. And at Kelowna's B.C. Sheriff's Service office, Acting Sgt. Brendan Gojevic said his staff are "definitely not involved."

In Penticton, Hewco said the Okanagan's pleasant climate attracts transients and the homeless.

"It's an issue for all of us," he said. "But not all homeless people are committing crimes. In fact, very few of them are."

Jeff sighs as he concludes: "At least this way I have a chance to start over, in a sense."