Prince George, B.C.- RCMP Superintendent Eric Stubbs, says the policing priorities for the current fiscal year in Prince George are “aggressive” and “focused” initiatives.

 

The Superintendent has outlined to Prince George City Council, 6 priorities and the issues they will address.

 

Members will identify and target those offenders  who are of the most concern to the community and the police.’We have had a  prpgram here that has had some success,  but this is an expansion" says Supt. Stubbs. If successful, this will drive down the crime rate in a number of Criminal Code categories. All enforcement units in the detachment will focus their efforts on targeting our prolific offenders. This includes the General Duty Watches, Crime Reduction Team, Youth at Risk Team, Downtown Enforcement Unit and Traffic Services. The goal is to target a minimum of 22 prolific offenders. Traffic Services will also be focusing on impaired driving offences with a target of 200 drivers.

 

Superintendent Stubbs would not discuss the details of this priority, but says the  Drug Task Force is working in conjunction with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, (CFSEU) and the Prince George Federal Drug Unit with a goal of targeting mid to high level members of the organized crime groups.

 

"What I have heard from people who use the downtown core say is that they don’t want to give up the gains that have been made" says Supt Stubbs.  The DEU will continue its strong presence and enforcement in the downtown core with a goal of increasing the safety in the area. They will achieve their objectives by:

• Focusing on chronic offenders, (minimum 10).

• Conduct enforcement projects that will increase the safety in the downtown core.

• Cpl. Kent MacNeill will also be making efforts to establish a Bar Watch program.

 

The Youth At Risk Team, (YART) member will work with our community partners on a number of initiatives.

• Participation in the Carrier Sekani’s Walk Tall Program.

• Identifying those youth that are committing criminal offences on a regular basis. The goal is to change their behaviour via the courts, Urban Aboriginal Restorative Justice program or any other viable options.

• work with the new pilot project with the Ministry of Children and Family Development, (MCFD), where a social worker will work with our YART member on weekend nights. Their goals will be to connect with the high risk youth, aid in monitoring curfew checks, ensuring the youth are properly identified, and locating our missing/AWOL youth.

 

Step In/Step Up targets youth and focuses on the issue of gang violence in the community. It provides education to youth so they don’t get recruited into gangs in Prince George. The program encourages youth to Step In, by getting involved and Step Up by leading the charge. The program funding is $175,000 to be used over a three year period.

The four phases include:

• A social media campaign to engage the youth.

• An Interactive Youth Forum.

• Establishment of a Youth Council.

• A one day Youth Gang Summit.

 

In Prince George, RCMP members attend over 900 calls in this category each year. Starting in July, Cpl. Carla Cook will begin building the processes and policies for this new unit.

• She will work with our partners to ensure that our high risk victims of domestic violence receive a higher level of support.

• She will assure that all of our domestic violence incidents follow RCMP and Attorney General policies.