Some Langley Mounties are heading north to help with the wild fire battle.
B.C. RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said the Langley Mounties were among approximately 100 personnel as of Tuesday, Aug. 22, “along with other material resources, deployed from across the province to support wildfire operations.”
Clark said the immediate surge of members was now being replaced with a rotation of RCMP resources that could be increased or reduced based on fire activity and needs.
“We are not in a position to provide specific numbers with respect to deployments from individual detachments,” Clark said.
“It is important to note that the ability to deploy members during these types of emergencies is clearly outlined in our police contracts and resources will not be pulled from detachments or units that have immediate operational pressures or priorities that requires their local resources remain in place,” he added.
A statement from RCMP headquarters said a “substantial contingent of RCMP officers from across the province is mobilizing to provide critical support to the affected communities. Residents can expect to witness a notable influx of RCMP personnel from various detachments and specialized units.”
Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commanding officer of the B.C. RCMP, promised that while officers were deployed to affected areas, “core policing continues without interruption in the communities our officers originate.”
“I want to reassure those who have been evacuated that the BC RCMP will do everything in our power to keep your homes and properties secure,” McDonald said.
McDonald said several Emergency Operations Centres (EOC’s) have been set up, “tasked with coordinating resource requests, logistics, planning, and support services including the safety and wellness of BC RCMP employees that are also impacted by alerts and orders.”
Officers will be aiding with evacuations, safeguarding evacuated regions, ensuring secure evacuation routes, and offering operational relief to local detachments. Patrols will be conducted to deter criminal activities.
Members from the B.C. Highway Patrol, Indigenous Policing Services, Tactical Troop, and other specialized and frontline units from within B.C. are among the deployed officers.
B.C. residents are being advised not to not travel for non-essential reasons to Central Interior and Southeast BC.
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