New local drug unit coming

Photo: Colin Dacre

The Penticton RCMP will be putting some new pressure on local drug dealers this year with the launch of a new dedicated drug unit.

Dubbed the “Street Enforcement Unit,” the three-officer team will target prolific drug dealers throughout the region. Members are currently being selected for the unit, which will hit the streets in mid-April.

“We are in an opioid crisis,” said Supt. Ted De Jager during a meeting with city council Tuesday outlining the year’s priorities.

“It does require some additional focus from the police,” he said. “I’ve been very public, that it's time for us to start targeting the people that are benefiting from the misery on our streets, and that’s what the new drug section is going to be doing.”

De Jager said the local RCMP managed to take the local drug supply offline a few weeks ago, “unfortunately only a couple of days, before it's restocked.”

He said the RCMP will have a more visible presence downtown with the new joint RCMP/bylaw office to be placed inside the Blenz building at the corner of Nanaimo and Main.

“At the end of this month the shelters will be closing, so there will be an increase in activity, in the downtown core particularly,” De Jager said, adding they are gearing up to work with bylaw and local social service providers to deal with the issue until transition housing projects — like those under construction on Winnipeg Street and at the old Super 8 motel — come online.