News release

Kelowna RCMP notes decrease in break and enters, continued rise in social disorder calls downtown

January 8, 2026 - Kelowna, British Columbia
From: Kelowna RCMP

Content

The Kelowna RCMP is working closely with the City of Kelowna and community partners to respond to concerns about social disorder in the downtown core. While December break and enters have decreased year-over-year, 12 in 2025 compared to 18 in 2024 and 15 in 2023, calls for service related to social disorder have continued to rise over the past three years, with approximately 100 more calls compared to previous Decembers.

“We understand the concerns businesses are experiencing downtown,” says Superintendent Chris Goebel. “Mischief, assaults, and thefts are unacceptable. Our officers respond based on urgency and risk to public safety, ensuring in‑progress emergencies are addressed first. We remain focused on prevention, accountability, and supporting those affected”.

When we look to understand the trends, despite perceptions, break and enters have declined in December over the past three years. This is a positive trend, but we recognize that other issues are impacting businesses and residents.

Calls for service related to social disorder have grown steadily. These include unwanted persons, assist other agency, thefts, assist fire/ambulance, and threats. While some categories have seen noticeable increases, many reflect more wellness and safety checks rather than criminal activity.

Calls for service around property damage have increased significantly.  General Occurrences for December show an increase in mischief over $5,000, highlighting the importance of proactive property protection and is what our downtown business community is feeling.

The RCMP have Increased visibility and patrols in key corridors. Joint efforts with City of Kelowna Bylaw Services and the Downtown On‑Call (Red Shirts) team to address non‑criminal disorder and connect individuals to services, while the Community Safety Services Branch will be reaching out to business sharing prevention strategies (CPTED), reporting guidance, and contacts.

The City of Kelowna shares this commitment.  “Creating a safe and vibrant downtown is a shared priority,” says Darren Caul, Community Safety Director, City of Kelowna. “We’re working alongside RCMP, and the Downtown On‑Call (Red Shirts) team to address social disorder and support businesses with practical measures that enhance safety and livability.”

Reporting matters, even minor incidents help us understand trends and allocate resources where they’re needed most. 

For more information around community and business safety visit the City of Kelowna Community Safety Toolkit at https://www.kelowna.ca/city-services/safety-emergency-services/community-safety 

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