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If you think a rise in incidents in Kamloops city parks between security guards and the public is because of the homeless population, you'd be wrong.

Owner of Lapper Security, Ed LaPierre, said his guards are seeing more "defiance" among young males in city parks where they are contracted to patrol. Lapper Security has been working city contracts for a few years, with a hiatus last year when another company, Neptune Security, was awarded the job until it went bankrupt.

"I think a lot of these people don't know how to deal with other people in public because a lot of them were kept in (during COVID)," he said. "That two-year span where everybody was watched and demanded of things, and now there's a freedom out there and they don't want to be told what to do."

It's most prevalent at McArthur Island Park where there's been one group in particular causing issues for guards. Often not causing damage, but they'll ride electric scooters dangerously or flout directions from guards.

"They're just very defiant. They can do whatever they want whenever they want. They don't have to listen to anybody asking them to leave the park or leave the area," he said.

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For one guard it escalated to an assault last month.

LaPierre said the guard was locking up one of the public washrooms in the evening during his nightly patrol. He said he was struck with a piece of wood and knocked down just as he was leaving the washroom, according to LaPierre.

The guard said he saw a few people flee on bikes and electric scooters.

Whether an altercation preceded the alleged assault isn't clear, Lapper said, but the company has taken extra safety precautions since.

They now use body cameras regularly in case there is an incident that should be recorded. A recording in this case could have been helpful for both police and WorkSafeBC.

"We were using body cams before, but it was just on a trial basis," he said. "But now I've made it mandatory that as soon as they get out of the vehicle they have to turn their body cam on."

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He said there are some areas where they can't be used outside company vehicles, like bathrooms, but they will generally stay on while a guard is on patrol.

LaPierre said his guards have developed a rapport with members of the homeless community, whether it's along West Victoria Street or at a city park. Although it's not without some abrasive incidents, there are few if any serious incidents between the "marginalized" community and the guards, whether it's on city property or with a private contract, he said.

"We hand them water, we hand them snacks, we carry garbage bags for them to clean up," LaPierre said. "We try to help as much as we can as long as they're willing to work with us."

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