[Bcma-l] SS Sicamous Sternwheeler - lack of police response

[bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca]

I was visiting the Okanagan in BC the day after this vandalism to the
historic vessels occurred in Penticton. It was major news - mainly
because the RCMP did not respond for at least 4 hours in spite of at
least four phone calls from an eyewitness! 

A neighbour lady heard the damage being done, and called 911. She then
followed the perpetrators and kept calling 911. At one point she
reportedly confronted them in the belief that the RCMP would be there
any moment. The perpetrators finally climbed into a vehicle, drove off
and escaped. This good citizen called 911 and advised that she was
following them in her car and again requested that police attend. The
911 operator advised her that if she exceeded the speed limit, then SHE
would be charged! The police still did not attend! 

Randy Manual, former Director of the Penticton Museum, had left that job
to run as a City Council Member. Ironically, and ideally, he was
Acting-Mayor at this time and was interviewed on radio.

The lack of response problem reportedly stemmed from the centralization
of Okanagan area 911 services. One excuse was the shortage of 911 staff
- however these calls were answered, but they were ignored. In the past
the lack of local knowledge by distant 911 operators has resulted in
tragedy by police being dispatched to the right street in the wrong
community and in that case a suicidal person who had called for help was
thus missed and ended up killing herself. In the case of the lack of
response to the vandalism, the problem was traced to a 911 operator who
refused to pass the messages on to the police and who apparently also
threatened to sic the law on this good citizen!

Naturally the locals were outraged because not only was their heritage
vandalized but their very lives are at risk by this defective system and
a callous 911 operator. Many apparently believe that the old system
worked better because police knew the community. I another case cited,
someone called police about a drunk driver and the police did not
respond, even though the scene was only 1 block from the police station!
I don't know if they even got the message.  

Colin MacGregor Stevens,
Manager,
New Westminster Museum and Archives,
302 Royal Avenue,
New Westminster, BC, 
V3L 1H7
 
Phone Office:    604-527-4639
Work Cellular : 604-830-6965
Fax:                  604-527-4641
E-mail: cstevens@newwestcity.ca 
Web Site: www.newwestminster.ca 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
[mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca] 
Sent: September 16, 2007 8:27 AM
To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Subject: [Bcma-l] SS Sicamous Sternwheeler

I have just received word that Friday night,  all twenty windows of the 
stern salon of the SS Okanagan were destroyed with the glass smashed 
out as well as the wood frames and mullions on many were also 
destroyed.  Four windows on the SS Sicamous were also smashed.

I was one of the founding members of the SS Sicamous Restoration 
Society so find this destruction a sad and senseless loss.

Barbara Reed, BFA, MAC, ACA (dipl)




_______________________________________________
Bcma-l mailing list
Bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
http://hp.bccna.bc.ca/mailman/listinfo/bcma-l