Photo: RCMP

The District of Summerland has been caught off guard by an urgent funding request from its local RCMP detachment.

Chief Administrative Officer Linda Tynan told councillors Monday the Summerland RCMP is in need of a $22,000 hood fan for its building. The device would protect officers while they are handling potentially lethal substances during a drug investigation.

Summerland taxpayers would be on the hook for 70 per cent of the device, or $15,400.

Tynan told council the local detachment would pitch in $9,000 by forgoing the purchase of needed office furniture, leaving council to find the other $6,600.

Director of Finance David Svetlichny said the district could fund the rest with its surplus, or with the capital works budget, but noted “we would like clarification of where this project is coming from.”

Tynan agreed, lamenting the lack of information she had to present to councillors. She added that many municipalities are pushing the RCMP to stick within local annual budgets.

“You want to make sure the RCMP have the tools to do the job and everything but at the same time, it's kind of unfair on us to a decision based on such a lack of information,” complained Coun. Doug Holmes.

New detachment commander Sgt. Terry Faulkner told Castanet Tuesday the devices are being purchased in bulk for most of the detachments in the South Interior, hence the urgency.

Penticton does not have one either at this point, he said, noting "they are on the list too." If one is not purchased for Summerland, a cost sharing agreement would have to be worked out for all the drug cases sent to Penticton.

The Summerland RCMP conducted 37 drug investigations in 2016, according to Stats Canada data released this week. The detachment consists of nine officers and two support staff.

Council eventually granted staff the power to authorize the purchase, should they feel it is appropriate.