Prince George, B.C. –  2015 produced a very busy, but productive year for the Prince George RCMP.  The local detachment  started off the year  with a murder investigation   as the body of Jordan McLeod was discovered  on a property northwest  of the City limits.

Later  in the year,  three people were arrested and charged in that murder.

It would not be the only violent  act the  local  detachment would deal with,  as four people would be arrested and charged  in connection with the murder of  Jordan Christian Reno in June of 2012.

Other highlights from the RCMP blotter  include:

• Canada Games.  With many additional resources brought in to support and supplement policing needs, the Detachment was able to provide more officers and equipment on the ground ensuring that residents, athletes and visitors would enjoy a fun and safe 2015 Games.
• Car 60. The Prince George RCMP partnered with Northern Health to create the ‘Car 60’ Program. This specialized unit is comprised of a police officer and a psychiatric nurse who respond to persons in mental health crisis. Car 60 personnel are able to attend a location and provide clients with specialized help and make referrals to other programs;
• Restorative Justice Program. In early 2015, the Prince George RCMP’s Community Policing Section began to plan and implement a new police based Restorative Justice Program.  A volunteer based community alternative to the court system, the Restorative Justice Program emphasizes repairing the harm caused by crime, with a strong community focus.  The program has already seen a number of successful outcomes with many more scheduled;
• Urban Aboriginal Liaison Officer. Jason Gillis is the Prince George Detachment’s first Urban Aboriginal Liaison Officer.  Cst. Gillis works with many of the RCMP’s First Nations and community partners to focus on various social issues specific to First Nations people in the Downtown core and on the Lheidli T’enneh First Nations lands.
• Domestic Violence Unit. The Detachment’s Domestic Violence Unit continued to make strides in 2015.  The unit reviewed nearly 1200 domestic violence files and specifically assisted officers with 31 high risk investigations.  Members of the unit continue to work with community groups and government agencies to mitigate risk for the victims and work with offenders to get them the help they need.
• Victim Services. Victim Services Therapy Dog ‘Max’ made history in BC twice this year.   Earlier in the year, he became the first Victim Services Therapy Dog to assist a child victim while testifying in court via closed circuit TV. ‘Max’ followed that up by being the first Victim Services Therapy Dog to assist a child witness in open court.  The Victim Services Unit began expanding their volunteer base and is in the process of training 12 new volunteers to respond to the more than 1000 calls for service they receive every year.  The new volunteers are expected to complete training this spring.
• Citizens on Patrol. The Citizens on Patrol Program checked over 14,800 vehicles during Speed Watch and Cell Watch duties this year and patrolled the community for more than 1900 hours looking for and preventing crime

Despite these successes, the RCMP say they realize there is always work to be done. Last year four persons were murdered in Prince George,  and  residents  were victims of  more than 60 robberies and many assaults.  For the first time since 2007, the local detachment’s file count has  topped the  40 thousand mark.

“We are optimistic and enthusiastic moving forward into 2016” says Supt. Warren Brown, Officer in Charge of the Prince George RCMP.  “We will continue to provide strong, innovative programs to the communities we police to work towards safety for all.  We also will continue to provide focused, targeted and tenacious policing directed towards those persons that prey on the vulnerable in our community, whether they be prolific offenders or drug dealers.”