To the Editor:
As a taxpayer in the community, I know that there is a breakdown of what is applied to each service (IE: schools, recreation, policing). With all of the recent criminal activity that has been happening in both Keremeos and Cawston, I am not sure we are getting our value out of the taxes being paid. On more than one occasion in the last month or so, 911 has been called for different reasons in the wee hours of the morning and the persons were told that there was not an officer to respond at this time.
I wonder if this happens in our surrounding communities. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that if you are going to do something criminal, wait until the early morning hours and you are likely to get away with it. I would like an explanation from our local RCMP detachment as to why we do not have 24 hour policing in our community?
What type of criminal activity would warrant having this service? Obviously theft, fires and vandalism doesn’t. What happens when it starts going into home invasions, assaults or worse yet, murder? We as a community need to demand better protection.
Is vigilantism required, and if so, are we now a criminal for trying to protect what we work hard for? We shouldn’t have to live in fear of what might happen in the early morning hours. We should be able to go to bed at night knowing that if needed we can call 911 and have someone respond. I know I am not the only one that feels this way, so let’s speak up as a community and say this is not acceptable.
We demand the policing that we deserve. Please people, speak up as I have.
Deanna Gibbs, Keremeos
