Mayor Doug Findlater couldn’t be happier with the results of the recent speed watch blitz conducted by Community Policing volunteers and RCMP officers.
“We constantly receive calls and emails from residents about speeding in the community. It is a really significant safety concern for many people,” says Mayor Findlater. “Over the years we have added funding for RCMP reservists to conduct speed checks and spent money on traffic calming in the community, and this speed blitz by West Kelowna Community Policing is a very welcome initiative indeed.”
On June 25, West Kelowna’s Community Policing office coordinated a dozen of volunteers from Peachland, Kelowna, Lake Country and West Kelowna to set up four Community Policing vans at speed watch locations in West Kelowna. The volunteers were supported by six RCMP members and ICBC representatives.
Rod Barrett, President of West Kelowna Community Policing, said a total of 1,986 vehicles were checked on June 25. The four locations were on Carrington Road, Elk Road, Parkinson Road and Shannon Way. Volunteers recorded how many vehicles were travelling at least 10 kilometres per hour over the posted speed limit. At Carrington Road, 38 vehicles were speeding, at Elk Road, 8 vehicles were speeding, at Parkinson Road, 50 vehicles were speeding and at Shannon Way, 24 vehicles were speeding.
“We are really grateful to have had the RCMP presence at our blitz,” says Barrett. “West Kelowna RCMP Staff Sergeant Duncan Dixon is very supportive of West Kelowna Community Policing efforts and Sgt. Patti Cook of the RCMP Traffic Section arranged for us to have six RCMP officers available during the blitz. It added credibility to our efforts and greatly helped us promote safe driving in the community.”
Community Policing volunteers and RCMP officers received thanks from neighborhood residents who were glad to see the speed watch vans out on their roads.
“West Kelowna Community Policing volunteers set up their radar around West Kelowna often, displaying the speed of passing vehicles and acting as a deterrent to speeders,” says Mayor Findlater. “But this particular speed blitz was backed with support of RCMP and real tickets were issued to offenders. Many drivers, I am told, gave the volunteers a thumbs-up or wave in support of Speed Watch.”
Mayor Findlater says he hopes West Kelowna Community Policing plans more blitzes in the future and sends a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers.
