Penticton Western reporter Joe Fries (left) talks with Crimestoppers’ regional coordinator Al Sismey at RDOS meeting Thursday.

Perplexed and confused – Penticton politicians were today after hearing from Sismey that the local police want to absorbed the Crimestoppers Tip Line into regular RCMP operations.

That came as some surprise to Penticton Mayor Garry Litke who says he will meet Monday with RCMP Superintendent Kevin Hewco about the RCMP plans to reshape their operations.

Litke said he wants to get both sides of the story.

The Mayor says the Community Policing site at the “Peach” is being closed and operations centralized in the RCMP station on Main Street and he understands some changes are being talked about when it comes to crime prevention but he was taken aback to hear that Crimestoppers (funded by the Regional District) could be absorbed. Other board members showed their support for the program run by Sismey which involves a tip line and social media/press coverage of people wanted by the police and courts on warrants.

Sismey, a former policeman, says it is essential that the tip line and the confidentiality stay in the hands of civilians with a society that does not allow politicians or police to serve in governance.

Litke says he wouldn’t want to see a headline “Police thrown under the bus” but he does want to get to the bottom of the story.