The RCMP say it is up to two Metro Vancouver municipalities – and not police themselves – to determine the delivery model for policing services in their communities. Langley RCMP Superintendent Adrian Marsden says their priority is public safety, and municipalities such as the Township of Langley and the City of Langley are responsible for how they want their policing services to look. Earlier, the township voted for a plan to have its own RCMP attachment instead of sharing one with the City of Langley, as it does now. The Township of Langley says it is larger geographically and growing population-wise at a faster rate than its neighbour, requiring a separate police detachment to better service its community.
The Shuttleworth Creek area of Okanagan Falls, BC, continues to be under a flood evacuation alert, as officials warn of warming weather bringing more snowmelt into local tributaries. The community, about 390 kilometres east of Vancouver, currently has 75 properties under the threat of flooding, with residents warned to be ready to evacuate on short notice. The warning has been in place since last Friday, but the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen says increased inflows are expected in the next few days across the region. Elsewhere in BC, the Village of Cache Creek 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver has been hit with its worst flooding in decades, with 200 people evacuating from a mobile home park.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of unseasonable hot weather in the -C Interior starting Friday. Forecasts warn that temperatures will push into the low-to mid-30s over the central and southern Interior regions, and northern BC will see temperatures possibly reaching the high 20s. However, the forecast says the spike will not approach the degree reached during the “heat dome” event in June 2021, when temperatures surpassed 40 degrees in many communities – almost breaking 50 in Lytton, BC. Experts say high temperatures in Alberta and BC later in the week will raise wildfire risks, while the provinces are already battling a number of early-season blazes.
Ride-hailing service Uber has been given the go-ahead to launch in Victoria and Kelowna. The province’s Passenger Transportation Board says in its latest newsletter that it has approved Uber’s application, and the company says services will “launch soon.” The board rejected Uber’s application for launching in Victoria and Kelowna several years ago, at the same time the tribunal approved the company to operated in the Lower Mainland. Last August, Uber submitted a request to take over the licence of another ride-hailing service, ReRyde.
Police say they arrested a suspected thief in Richmond, BC, after she fell out of her hiding place in the ceiling of a store – in front of officers who were looking for her. Richmond RCMP say they were called to a mobile phone store on Number 3 Road on Saturday night after strange noises were reported emanating from the business after hours. Police were searching the store when a 50 year-old female suspect fell through the ceiling in front of the officers. Police say the suspect is known to police and was immediately arrested after police recovered multiple cellular SIM cards from her.
Victoria police have begun using a new translations app to improve communication with people who are more comfortable using languages other than English. Police say the software by Calgary based Languages in Motion uses a mobile app to link officers immediately to a “law enforcement-focused” live translator whenever the need arises. The new interpretation tool has access to interpreters working in more than 200 languages. Chief Constable Del Manak says the launch is a “positive step forward” in Victoria police’s diversity and inclusion efforts and will allow officers to “build trust and confidence with citizens.”