The VisionQuest Recovery Society, located near Logan Lake.

Image Credit: GOOGLE MAPS

The spotlight is back on a Logan Lake addictions recovery centre, as the head of Kamloops RCMP claims the facility is dropping off its clients into the city, increasing the population of people who are homeless.

Supt. Syd Lecky told Kamloops City council yesterday the VisionQuest recovery centre in Logan Lake has been bringing as many as one to two people per week into Kamloops.

"There are other things that cause me concern like certain support agencies that drop off their clients in our community when they don't work in theirs," Lecky said.

READ MORE: Climate change to blame for demolition of this historic Rocky Mountain hut

"Some of them don't make it much past the front door, then they make it through the back door."

It's not the first time VisionQuest has faced these claims, but according to executive director Megan Worley, Lecky's claims to council need more context.

So far this year, the facility has discharged three people to local shelters. Ten others, however, breached bail conditions determined by the court and had to be taken to probation officers.

VisionQuest often takes on clients that are facing criminal charges and moving through the court system. If they breach any conditions set by a judge, they are ordered to check in with a probation officer within 24 hours to be taken back to prison or a warrant is issued for their arrest.

READ MORE: Kamloops organizations planning for arrival of Ukrainian refugees

If they don't check in with a probation officer, a warrant is then issued for their arrest, and these people are likely to be the ones RCMP pass by on the streets.

She could not say how many of those ten have been reincarcerated after breaching conditions.

Five of those 13 people are from Kamloops.

"Our goal is to be respectful of the communities near us, and we go out of our way to do so, but our main priority is saving lives," Worley said in a statement.

Lecky told council RCMP does not have specific statistics to track how many people in Kamloops are experiencing homelessness and how that corresponds to property crime. However, property crime in Kamloops has been on a steady increase, according to the Kamloops RCMP annual report.

READ MORE: How Vernon's goose cull got killed

Meanwhile, 70 of the total 80 beds at VisionQuest Recovery Society facilities are full with people in varying stages of recovery. Twenty people currently in care at the Logan Lake facility are either from Kamloops or were taken there directly from Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre.

VisionQuest got unwanted attention more than a year ago when City staff investigated claims that its clients were being discharged to local shelters.

While she's rebuffed those claims in the past, Worley said she is looking forward to cooperating with healthcare and law enforcement in the future.

"I am looking to see the focus be on how vital support recovery is in saving lives and what we can all do to improve the conditions for those suffering from substance use disorder," she said. "This is how we bring families back together and reduce recidivism in the criminal justice system."

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2022