Cariboo Regional District (CRD) director Steve Forseth will be looking for support from his colleagues at the CRD board meeting Friday, Aug. 21 to formally request a review of the current RCMP strength serving several rural communities in the Cariboo.
Forseth is asking the board to approve that a formal request be submitted to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to review the current RCMP strength provided in Electoral Areas D, E, F and K of the CRD to ensure crime data and calls for service for these electoral areas are met with the appropriate policing.
In the background information provided by Forseth in the CRD’s agenda, Forseth noted last September, the Board discussed the crime issues “besieging” several electoral areas in the regional district, including Areas D (McLeese Lake) and G (Lac la Hache) as examples.
READ MORE: Williams Lake RCMP nab suspect, recover firearms following break and enter
Following that discussion at Tatla Lake the Board received presentations June 19 from the detachment commanders for the 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Quesnel RCMP on the challenges facing these three RCMP detachments, he noted.
“Since then, my Electoral Area continues to have issues around speeding at McLeese Lake/Wildwood and a constant prolific offender issue at McLeese Lake causing theft issues which is greatly frustrating this unincorporated community,” Forseth stated.
“In my opinion, it is time … to review the rural police strength, based on calls for service and crime data over the last few years for CRD Areas D, E, F and K.”
Thursday evening, Aug. 20, residents in the McLeese Lake are meeting to discuss the ongoing criminal activity in their rural community.
Forseth confirmed he will be attending the meeting “to observe and support the community as best as I’m able.”
Forseth said the community has suffered a significant number of break and enters in the McLeese Lake, Blue Lake and Tyee Lake areas in recent months and residents are having a brainstorming session about how to protect each other’s properties.
READ MORE: RCMP investigating armed robbery of McLeese Lake General Store
Forseth noted Areas E, F, a portion of Area K, plus most majority of his area — Area D — currently receive police service from the Williams Lake RCMP. Area D also receives service from the Quesnel RCMP but this is limited to the communities of McAllister and Marguerite which Forseth said he has not, to date, heard any crime or community safety concerns from these two unincorporated communities in his electoral area.
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