Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jan 2004
Source: Express (Nelson, CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 Kootenay Express Communication Corp.
Contact:   http://www.expressnews.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2339
Author: Charles Jeanes

NELSON RCMP TO INCREASE STAFF

911 service dispatch to be from Trail RCMP detachment

Nelson's RCMP detachment might be about to beef up its number of members 
for two reasons -to focus more attention on narcotic drug trafficking, and 
to enforce customs and Immigration laws more stringently.

Councillor Donna Macdonald, the City's rep at the Regional District board, 
gave council this information in her report on RDCK business, and moved a 
resolution

January 13, Her motion passed, and so Mayor Dave Elliot will write to the 
Solicitor General of the Province urging  him to promote the 
increased-staffing proposal, at RCMP decision-making levels.

Another change in local RCMP operations will mean calls to the 9-1-1 
service of the RDCK will be answered by a dispatcher in the Trail 
detachment, the change will not pose any problems according to RDCK chief 
executive officer Reid Henderson.  "What they call 'primary dispatch' will 
be in Trail."  Henderson said "They could have put it in Kelowna."

He said he was assured by Gary Johnson at the Regional District of Kootenay 
Boundary that dispatch from a distant centre is not a problem, and that for 
fire calls the dispatch will be re-routed to Nelson.