Spring’s sunshine is setting in and luring kids outside to play.
Sgt. Jeff Swann of the Ucluelet RCMP is reminding drivers to be cautious on the roads and to obey Ucluelet’s community school zone, which is in effect from dawn until dusk everyday.
“If you’re coming home from work at 6 p.m., that school zone is still in play and the last thing we want is for someone to get hurt but we also don’t want to give someone a $200 ticket because you just worked a hard day and you’re coming home from work and you’re forgetting about a school zone,” Swann said.
“Kids are out and around, and as much as we as parents try to tell our kids ‘don’t run across the street, make sure you look for traffic, don’t chase that ball,’ kids will be kids and kids will make mistakes. Us as adults have to be the more responsible party and be looking around, keeping our heads up, eyes on the road and paying attention.”
Swann said he’s excited to see what the summer has in store.
“We’re getting busier in town. You talk to the Chamber of Commerce or any accommodation provider or whale watcher and everybody is busier already at this time of year than they’ve ever been,” he said.
“I can’t wait for the summer. I can just see us and our auxiliaries walking through Ukee Days, the Otalith Music Festival, the Porsche Club event and seeing smiling faces and people glad to see the police. I envision this summer already as just another great and positive experience for this detachment and this community.”
He noted the West Coast’s Auxiliary Constable program has wrapped up its latest training session and Kateri Chisholm, Kevin Cortes and Gaylene Thorogood are now ready to join auxiliary veteran Paul Galloway on the volunteer beat.
“We’ve got a great contingent of auxiliaries and we just can’t wait to put them in play. We’re blessed to now have four trained auxiliaries working out of this office to help make this community that much safer,” he said, adding the detachment will still need local support.
“We’re going to have a busy summer with tons and tons of tourists in town and we need to remind people to be vigilant, be careful, slow down, look out for your neighbours and report anything that looks suspicious; we’re here to help.”