Penticton RCMP, bylaw to hand out positive tickets over the summer

Penticton, B.C., RCMP and bylaw officers will be ramping up their ticketing this summer, but in a positive way.

The positive ticket campaign returned to Penticton on Tuesday for the fifth annual year, to reward safe behaviour.

“Our goal with our program is to help encourage people using their helmets to keep doing so and in being caught doing it right, that they will share their success with their friends and encourage helmet use in our community with whatever activity they’re using doing,” said Similkameen Brain Injury Society (SOSBIS) Executive Director Linda Sankey.

The South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society launched the campaign to remind people that wearing a helmet can prevent serious injuries.

“Our whole goal is to prevent people from becoming a client of the Brain Injury Society and the reviews from the folks that are getting the positive incentives are great as well,” added Sankey.

According to Jo Anne Ruppenthal, Penticton Restorative Justice Coordinator with community policing, the program is also another opportunity for officers to interact with the community.

“It’s really important to have these young people be empowered, that the community recognizes that they make good choices and that we’re all very proud that they are becoming role models for other people,” said Ruppenthal.

“Everybody makes some mistakes sometimes, but sometimes it’s always nice to recognize that when people do make a good choice when they leave their house, we are all we are also watching for that kind of information. And a lot of the members really like just interacting with the community in a good, positive way.”

Each member of RCMP and bylaw services will have the opportunity to hand out these tickets over the summer.

Penticton Bylaw Services manager, Tina Mercier, says officers look forward to participating in the program each year.

“We provide all of our team with the tickets and if they’re out and about in their daily duties and they come across someone acting safely then it’s a good opportunity to engage and have that conversation,” said Mercier.

“We look forward to it and it’s always been a fun, exciting time of year, so we hope it brings about some really rewarding conversations as well.”

Each year the society says officers hand out hundreds of positive tickets and expect this summer to be just as successful.

“I think we are hoping to give out 500 this summer,” said Sankey.

“I don’t think it’ll take very long to do, but we’re going to spread them out over the weeks of the summer months to try and catch as many people doing it right.”

The program is also supported by a number of local businesses including Booster Juice, Freeride, Hoodoo Adventures, Patio Burger, Bike Barn, and Second Scoop.

“We partnered with a number of local businesses to give some freebies for the winners of the positive tickets,” said Sankey.

“They would be for things like cold treats from Booster Juice or great fun activities from Hoodoo Adventures and many others.”

by Global News