North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP hosts Feb. 19 town hall on community concerns

The North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP will hold a public town hall on Feb. 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cowichan Community Centre to gather input on policing priorities for 2026–27 and to review the detachment's work over the past year.

The North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP is asking residents for input on local policing priorities for 2026–27 and will host a town hall on Feb. 19 to collect feedback. The detachment plans to present on its work from the past year and to provide time for questions and discussion about neighbourhood concerns. A new RCMP detachment opened in June 2024 on Ford Road, which the detachment has noted as part of recent changes in local policing capacity. The meeting is set to run for two hours in a community centre meeting room. Key details: - Date and time: Feb. 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Location: Somenos Room, Cowichan Community Centre, 2687 James Street, Duncan. - Purpose: To present the detachment's past-year work and to gather public input on policing priorities for 2026–27. - Official comment: Cst. Tessa McDonald, a media spokesperson for the detachment, said these meetings let the RCMP hear directly from the community about concerns and expectations. - Recent facility: A new $48-million detachment building opened in June 2024 at 6430 Ford Road, intended to house members, support units and services. Summary: The town hall will give residents an opportunity to discuss local safety and policing concerns while the RCMP reviews its recent work. Public feedback reported at the meeting is described as guiding the detachment's priorities for 2026–27, and the scheduled event on Feb. 19 is the next step in that process.