British Columbia

We have had some reinforcement in British Columbia as to the Citizens on Patrol program. A long-standing group in Sidney/North Saanich (just outside Victoria) recently made the local news with the RCMP detachment commander stating that he was very favorable with the program and hoped that others would join a very successful program there.

With no provincial association, it remains difficult to have an accurate count of members in British Columbia. We remain a dysfunctional organization in that two RCMP detachments within a half hour drive both operate differently - one has a strong leader with a cohesive COPs group and the other has no police leader and no COPs group, in spite of the fact that the volunteers are more than able to carry on as a group on their own with less police involvement. Seems like there would be a common thread to operate the same wherever but not so.

However, we continue to have a strong police presence in other community activities such as speed watch, distracted driving, and Crime Stoppers and so that seems to be the focus and not patrolling, even though the crime rate (theft from vehicles) increases daily.

If you are moving to BC anytime, drop me a line. 

Brian Cornborough
Secretary CCOPA