By Sally MacDonald
Cranbrook Townsman Staff
Local politicians and police are uniting to secure a police officer to patrol the Lake Koocanusa area this summer.
On Friday, March 30, the Regional District of East Kootenay board of directors agreed to write a letter to the Solicitor General, requesting a reservist be assigned to the area for the summer months of 2012. An RCMP reservist is usually a retired policeman.
"Policing is an ongoing concern," explained Area B Director Heath Slee. "There are so many people recreating in the South Country that we just need every ounce of support we can get to bolster the enforcement level in the Koocanusa area during the summer months."
He added that last year the Elk Valley RCMP detachment budgeted $15,000 to pay for a reservist patrolling the area over summer. Thanks to the work of that reservist, RCMP recovered $26,000 in traffic fines on the roads around Koocanusa.
"It certainly more than paid for having that reservist in," said Slee.
The Elk Valley detachment asked for the regional district's support for the request of a reservist again this year. The Solicitor General will make the final decision on whether to provide funding for the role.
"We are making this request again for the sake of more policing and enforcement in the Koocanusa area," said Slee.