Lake Country, BC – Through an extensive and competitive process, the District of Lake Country is pleased to announce that Staff Sergeant Jon Collins has been selected as the new Commander of the Lake Country RCMP Detachment which recently became a standalone detachment.
Jon brings more than 20 years of operational and administrative policing as well as leadership experience to the role. He began his RCMP career in Williams Lake and then moved to Kelowna working for the Southeast District as part of a general investigation team and later part of the major crime unit. After working at the Southeast District MCU, he moved to Prince George and worked at the North District MCU office. Additionally, Jon worked in the Professional Responsibility Unit at the Kelowna Regional Detachment for almost three years. His diverse experience also includes a two-year posting to Alexis Creek with four First Nations communities west of Williams Lake. While he and his family have been longtime residents of Kelowna, he is no stranger to Lake Country as he held the role of non-commissioned officer in charge in Lake Country from 2020 until he was promoted to Staff Sergeant as Watch Commander at the Kelowna Detachment in 2024.
“I am very pleased to be taking on this leadership role in Lake Country,” said S/Sgt. Jon Collins. “Over the years I have built many relationships with the District and community as it has grown over the population threshold of 15,000. As Lake Country grows, we will continue to meet rising demands from the public with strong leadership, modern and proactive policing initiatives, and meaningful engagement with our partners and residents. The modernization of the policing model has led to more independence, which gives Lake Country greater autonomy in handling tasks and financial resources required to address crime and public safety concerns communicated directly to the Lake Country RCMP Detachment. I am committed to further enhancing trust and expanding the service-delivery in the community we proudly serve.”
The Lake Country Detachment Commander position reflects a realignment in structure for the RCMP in the Central Okanagan following a process, which included consultation and approval, to update the centralized policing model in the area. Previously, the Kelowna RCMP Officer in Charge oversaw a centralized detachment model that included Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, the District of Peachland, and Lake Country. Under the new structure, the Lake Country Detachment Commander will now serve the Lake Country area only. As Detachment Commander, Jon will work closely with the District of Lake Country and community partners to advance the community’s top public safety priorities and will now report directly to the BC RCMP’s Southeast District senior management team with support of Advisory NCO S/Sgt. Shaun Begg.
“We’re excited to welcome S/Sgt. Jon Collins as the new Detachment Commander for the Lake Country RCMP,” said Mayor Blair Ireland. “This is a major step forward for policing in our community — one that brings greater accountability and a sharper focus on the issues that matter most to Lake Country. With our own independent detachment, we’re finally in a position to make policing decisions that truly reflect our community’s needs. Jon, with his strong commitment to community, is the right person to lead us forward. He’s calm, respected, and brings a wealth of experience to the table. I’m genuinely looking forward to working with him. Public safety continues to be a top priority for Council. Now that we’ve passed a population of 15,000 and moved from the old 70/30 model to the 90/10 model, we know residents are eager to see improvements like stronger traffic enforcement, a school liaison officer, and 24-hour policing — and this new structure puts us in a great position to deliver on those expectations.”
While Jon Collins was back in Lake Country as the interim commander from May 26, 2025, he officially assumed the position as Lake Country’s RCMP Detachment Commander on August 18, 2025.
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For more information contact:
Mayor Blair Ireland
District of Lake Country
250-766-6670