The Kelowna RCMP says provincial funding through the Special Investigations and Targeted Enforcement (SITE) Program has delivered significant results in the fight against violent crime, repeat offenders, and organized criminal activity in the city.From June 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026, SITE funding supported additional intelligence-led enforcement shifts by the Proactive Enforcement Unit and Crime Reduction Unit, focusing on high-risk offenders and areas with elevated violence and social disorder.Over the seven-month period, officers opened more than 456 new police files, launched new criminal investigations, and interrupted a break-and-enter in progress. The enforcement efforts led to the arrest of 121 individuals, the recommendation of 163 charges — including breaches of court-ordered conditions — the execution of ten outstanding warrants, and the issuance of 63 violation tickets.The operation also removed a wide array of dangerous weapons from the streets, including four handguns, nine imitation or improvised handguns, a long gun with ammunition, a switchblade, taser, hatchet, baton, twenty-four knives, two machetes, three baseball bats, twelve cans of bear deterrent spray, and a sword. .Two vehicles were seized as suspected proceeds of crime and forwarded for civil forfeiture proceedings.Significant quantities of illicit drugs were also confiscated: 237 grams of fentanyl, 694 grams of methamphetamine, 311 grams of cocaine, 202 grams of crack cocaine, 35 grams of MDMA, 13 grams of LSD, more than 1.8 kilograms of psilocybin, over 2.3 kilograms of packaged-for-sale cannabis, 618 grams of suspected mixed drugs, and 595 prescription pills.Officers also seized $55,528 in cash, 7,470 cartons of illegal cigarettes, 180 illegal vape devices, 450 nicotine pouches, an industrial shipping container, and one recovered stolen vehicle.Between January 12 and 16, 2026, SITE funding provided real-world training from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit’s Uniform Gang Enforcement Team (UGET) for Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, and North Okanagan detachments. The multi-day training strengthened investigative capacity for interdicting weapons, firearms, and drugs from repeat violent offenders.The operational successes have led to the launch of the Kelowna Gang Enforcement Team (KGET) pilot project, a dedicated unit focused on intelligence-driven enforcement against gang activity and organized crime. Since its inception, KGET has continued removing firearms, drugs, criminal proceeds, and violent offenders from the community while enhancing coordination between uniform and investigative units.“The SITE funding provided by the Province of British Columbia has had a direct and measurable impact on public safety in Kelowna,” said Sgt. Scott Powrie of the Crime Reduction Unit. “This investment allowed us to proactively target repeat violent offenders and organized crime groups, remove dangerous weapons and toxic drugs from our community, and disrupt criminal networks before further harm could occur.”
