VIDEO: Police officer turns in his badge to run in the provincial election

After 19 years of dealing with problems on our streets, Macklin McCall decided he should get elected and do something about it.

As an RCMP constable, McCall patrolled the streets in West Kelowna and later in Kelowna over a 19-year career.

"All the issues that people are having, I was getting a front-row seat," said McCall.

McCall worked with the Downtown Enforcement Unit and bike patrols in Kelowna's downtown.

"I could see things seemed to be getting worse and worse."

And that's when it occurred to him.

"I thought that I could do more good outside of the RCMP than within."

McCall said the different entities that work with people on the street, need a more co-ordinated approach.

"The police will be there, or health care, or whatever," he said.

"If you worked together to actually get people off the streets, not to just put a bandaid on something."

McCall is supportive of people who demonstrated against how government COVID policies impacted individual rights.

He feels confident about getting those votes for Conservative in BC and he believes the support can grow go well beyond that.

"I think we're very relatable to British Columbians," McCall said.

He said that many Conservative candidates are coming to politics for the first time, and that's a selling point.

"We're not career politicians who have just done that one thing our whole lives," said McCall.

"You see quite a range of experiences and people who have had careers."

He said, his door-to-door contact with residents of his riding reveals a desire for change.

"We're going to bring back common sense and positive change and people appreciate that."

British Columbians go to the polls Oct. 19.