RCMP unsure of their role in enforcing new provincial travel guidelines

The Kelowna RCMP expect to know later this week what their role will be in enforcing new provincial health guidelines around travel within the province.

The province is expected to announce Friday the scope of recommendations around travel in the province as cases of COVID-19, and hospitalizations continue to spike.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says random roadblocks will be set up to limit travel.

The Central Okanagan's top cop says the local detachment expects to hear by the end of the week exactly what this will mean for local officers.

Supt. Kara Triance says the BC RCMP and the province are discussing how enforcement will roll out. She added there are resources that can work in conjunction with medical health officers to conduct this type of work.

Regardless of the scope of police involvement, Triance says it's important the community stays safe, and takes the steps necessary to be safe.

"Our health authority has told us very clearly that travel around our province isn't safe. There are transmission happening as a result of travel, and that those transmissions are causing grave concerns for the outlook of our province," Triance told Castanet News.

"My messaging is simply in line with the province, stay home, be safe. At this point, we will be communicating further what actions we'll be taking as the week rolls on."

Triance says it's important everyone gets through the pandemic safely and healthy. "That we move through this pandemic working together, staying safe and respecting one another."

It's a challenging time, she added, but right now it's not safe to travel.