Tim Petruk – Kamloops This Week
Plans to fly the Kamloops-based RCMP Air 4 police helicopter permanently north to Prince George appear to be in a holding pattern.
Following a meeting with Mayor Peter Milobar last month, RCMP brass agreed to re-visit the decision to have Air 4 based out of Prince George.
“I haven’t had any updates since it was put on hold,” Milobar told KTW.
In February, the RCMP announced plans to move Air 4 to Prince George, noting the entire northern region of B.C. is without a police chopper. Under that plan, an RCMP helicopter would remain based in Kelowna to service the Southeast District, which includes Kamloops.
But, Milobar noted, a previous RCMP internal review said Kamloops was the best southern Interior location for a police helicopter.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob Vermeulen said the locations of helicopters is being discussed with government officials, policing partners and others.
“B.C.’s air-services fleet are strategically placed throughout B.C. in order to support our policing services and unique geography,” he said.
“Our assessment of air services in B.C. recommends the re-aligning of these resources more effectively by moving one of two helicopters currently in the Southeast District to our North District that currently does not have a helicopter, and moving one of our fixed-wing aircraft from North District to Southeast District that currently does not have a fixed-wing aircraft.”
Vermeulen said the RCMP’s North District makes up more than 70 per cent of B.C.’s geographic area.
Milobar said he wants to see the remaining Southeast District helicopter based in Kamloops.
“Over the last while, especially, we’ve seen it used and deployed for the local RCMP,” he said.
“It makes their operations safer. It’s a service we’ve become accustomed to in the city and I think we need it.”
