Residents in the Agassiz and Barlee road area of Kelowna were concerned by a heavy police presence on Wednesday, but it turned out to be a training exercise.
Despite signs on the street in front of an unoccupied residence, some residents were caught off guard by numerous police vehicles, officers with guns drawn and a K-9 unit in the neighbourhood.
Emergency Response Teams are the police tactical unit of the RCMP.
According to RCMP, “the ERT is a group of highly trained RCMP members capable of employing specialized weapons, equipment, and tactics to resolve extremely high-risk situations.”
“This unit is based in Kelowna, and it’s important for them to train in a realistic setting,” Kelowna RCMP Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey said. “We understand it can be alarming, which is why we post signs on the street.”
The teams operate as a floating work unit, which allows them to be called up for duty on a moment’s notice.
All Biz Releases Stories