TERRACE city council has decided to investigate the idea of hiring a full-time bylaw enforcement officer.
It follows a series of discussions between the RCMP and the city over how best to deal with public intoxication and other problems, including parking violations, in the downtown core.
The city, in a budget move some years ago, reduced a bylaw officer position to half-time and combined it with animal control.
But Terrace RCMP detachment commander Inspector Dana Hart told councillors at a May 21 meeting held to discuss public order downtown that a full-time bylaw officer would free up his officers to do more police work.
Having RCMP officers worry about parking violations and associated matters wasn't economical and wasn't an efficient use of their time, he said.
At a subsequent May 26 council meeting, councillor James Cordeiro's motion to investigate a full-time position was unanimously received.
“I'd like to make a motion that council get a report from administration about the feasibility of having a bylaw officer working out of the detachment and the cost involved .......,” he said.
The cost of of a full-time bylaw officer has been estimated at $70,000, including benefits and overhead.
City administrators will also work out how a full-time bylaw officer might affect the city's animal control functions.