Mayor Julius Bloomfield has issued the following statement after hosting B.C. Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services Terry Yung in Penticton on Friday, June 12:
“It was great to welcome Minister Yung to Penticton and have a candid conversation about what we’re seeing every day in our community when it comes to public safety.
“We talked about the reality that a significant number of calls for service in Penticton are tied to mental health, addictions and social challenges—not traditional policing. That’s putting real pressure on our RCMP and impacting residents and local businesses.
“I was able to share the progress we’ve made, especially with our Integrated Crisis Response Team. It’s helping connect people to the right supports and freeing up police to focus on criminal activity—and we know it’s making a difference here.
“We also had a good discussion about what we need to keep building on that work: more flexibility in funding, clear next steps on tiered policing, and progress on compassionate mandatory care.
“Penticton is ready to keep moving forward and to work with the Province on solutions that make a real difference on our streets and in our neighbourhoods.
“Thank you to Minister Yung for taking the time to be here and for the open, constructive conversation.”