Domestic Violence Raising Red Flags For PG’s New RCMP Superintendent
Prince George, BC – Prince George RCMP Officers are called out to deal with incidents involving domestic violence two or three times per day…
Last year, they responded to a total of 913 domestic violence calls. In going over the local crime statistics for 2011 with City Councillors last night, Superintendent Eric Stubbs said it’s a significant problem and one that consumes a lot of time. "It’s a high risk area that, if we drop the ball on, bad things can happen."
As Stubbs works to prepare the local detachment’s strategic priorities for its 2012 annual performance plan – which goes into effect April 1st – he’s meeting with community stakeholders to hear where their concerns lie. Domestic violence is an issue that’s jumping out at him. There are detachments with dedicated Family Violence Units, and it’s something Stubbs is considering for Prince George in this early stage of his consultations.
In his eight months as the Officer in Charge of Prince George RCMP, the Superintendent said he’s attended a couple of domestic incidents during ride-alongs with his officers. He says, one in particular, was extremely violent and the female victim was almost killed. "She’s lucky to be alive," he said, "And those are the ones I want to make sure we have an opportunity to help." He said that means working in partnership with other support agencies in the city to assist the victim in any way possible. "To be honest, if we don’t get a conviction, but she gets out of that relationship and now she’s safe – to me, that’s win."
Three or four officers at the detachment do have specialized training in handling cases of domestic violence. The challenge is finding a way to dedicate even one solely to this task, given staffing shortages within the RCMP and budgetary constraints on the City’s side.
Stubbs said the force is struggling to keep the front lines bolstered with some uncontrollable issues like transfer gaps, injuries, and parental leaves making it difficult. He told Councillors last night, he might try to ‘get creative’ – find a way to test the position, and monitor the benefits. "And if it works – if it does – then maybe down the line, I would be presenting to council to add it on as an increase."
To which Mayor Shari Green replied, "Well, we’re challenged there, as you know." She had been hopeful having two officers pulled back into general duty from the Downtown Enforcment Unit might allow one to be assigned to the task, but Stubbs said they were quickly absorbed by the shortages. Councillor Lyn Hall said he would be very supportive if there was an opportunity to find an allocated position.
Stubbs will meet with a number of community stakeholders in the coming weeks as he works to formulate his performance plan. He admitted domestic violence is just one of any number of pressing issues facing the local detachment – from gangs and guns, to at-risk youth, to property crimes, addictions, the downtown core, and rural issues.
"We can’t solve everything, so we have to look at what the biggest concern in the community is and let’s put some resources towards that."
Comments
Men can stop domestic violence. IF you hit women you are WORTHLESS and you are worse than pond scum. Women there are resources for you if you are in danger or your kids are in danger, no man is worth that. GET OUT GET SAFE!
MEN OUR STRENGTH IS NOT FOR HURTING
Let me guess 913 of them due to alcohol, and 0 due to pot..isnt alcohol the best gateway drug ever.. but that pot turns everyone to heroin junkies after just one puff..lol
While it’s nice to see the two comments above, I would like to share a story that pokes a little hole in each one.
I was once married to a little tiny woman whom I later divorced. I divorced her because she was an abuser, shocking isn’t it. To make matters worse she would block the door to a room after she hit me and would threaten to call the cops if I tried to move her to get out.
…………..and she was sober to boot.
While I don’t condone domestic violence of any sort I am also smart enough to know it’s not just drunken men doing all the beating.
http://www.oregoncounseling.org/Handouts/DomesticViolenceMen.htm
It has been known for some decades that the statistics on who is “beating” up on whom are skewed for a variety of reasons.
From the RCMP power point report to the City:
2009
– domestic dispute (no assault) = 628
– domestic criminal code charges = 325
– total domestic dispute calls = 953
2010
– domestic dispute (no assault) = 510
– domestic criminal code charges = 334
– total domestic dispute calls = 844
2011
– domestic dispute (no assault) = 577
– domestic criminal code charges = 336
– total domestic dispute calls = 915
We were not given pre 2009 figures, so there is very little longitudinal data on which to base change over time. That data exists, and I would love to see it because that would tell a much better story of where we are headed with this.
I am suspicious that the info is limited because it might tell a story of reduction over say a 10 year period. At the same time, if it would show a steady increase, it would make the case much stronger for special attention.
The power point as presented to the Committee of the whole
http://princegeorge.ca/cityhall/mayorcouncil/councilagendasminutes/agendas/2012/2012_02_08_cw/documents/RCMP_Strategic_Planning_ppt.pdf
A buddy of mine,(6’5″) was assaulted by his wife, (5’6″). She tried to hit him in the face with a handful of keys. He grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her in mid swing. My buddy went to jail for assault, lost his firearms and the privilege of possessing them for ten years, his home and everything he worked for.
Sorry, domestic violence isn’t just a mans issue.
This article is biased.How come when domestic abuse is mentioned everyone assumes its the man. A university of Saskatchewan study showed an almost 50/50 split between men and women, actually weighted a little more toward women being the abusers. Men generally do not generally report abuse against themselves.
Mostly one only hears of women getting abused because of the physicality of it, men generally being bigger which makes abuse seem one sided, men do not report.
It can be likened to dogs. The smaller dogs are actually the most frequent biters. You know, the ankle biters. Frequently they break the skin enough for blood to flow.
However, some of the larger dogs are the more dangerous ones because when they do bite, it can have very serious consequences.
So, when a Pit Bull is confronted by an ankle biting, noisy Chihuaha, a well behaved Pit will typically ignore the little squirt. But, when that Pit gets agitated, it may just grab the Chihuahua and bite down a bit too hard.
We all know that Pits are the ones on the dangerous dog list in many places, not the Chihuahuas.
So a man can get pummelled by his woman and then when the man simply restrains her, she screams abuse. I’ve heard of it many times and also been there. It is absolutely not fair at all. Women will accuse the man of child abuse as well, when there was NONE just because she knows that it will get a LOT of attention, which it does. A man can be stigmatised for years because of that when there was no abuse in the first place. Also extremely and predjudiciously unfair.
Gus read Give More.
Maybe the daycare providers are not instilling the values that would restrain opposite gender violence. Maybe they should. Just a thought.
Ya, I delivered a spiel on a scroll like this a few years ago..A friend of mine and I were standing outside a pub chatting and a couple slammed through the door(and the guy opened the door with his girlfriend or wife,we didn`t get a proper intro,)The BF proceeded after slamming the door open with her to slamming her up against the wall,now my friend and I were already making our way towards them grabbed the guy and slammed him against the wall and told him that he can`t go abusing women like that or we`d call the cops,no soon as we had him subdued the woman came up behind us and started yelling at us not to hurt him and please don`t call the police.Now we were witnesses to an assault and the lady’s telling us don`t call the cops.My point is out of 913 responses to domestic violence, how many of these were repeat with the same man and woman involved, and if that is the case then I think after 2 repeat responses with the same couples they should both be sent a bill.Both the man and the female need to get the point that the tax payer is not going to pay for their little spats and if they cant get along they shouldn`t be together…
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