SPC Monthly Minutes (draft) - Jun 27, 2016
11:30 am - 1:00 pm at The Glass
Slippers Boutique (across from The Hobbit House & Red Shreds)
In attendance (from
sign-in sheet): Matt Neufeld, Ashlee Hyde, Shannon Thom, Del Byron, Colleen
Skinner, Joanne Meyrick, Meera Shah, Margaret-Anne Enders, Sharon Taylor and Jessica
Knodel.
Accept Minutes &
Agenda
During lunch we:
-Reviewed meeting minutes from May 30, 2016
Motion to accept minutes as presented - MFSC
-Reviewed meeting agenda for Jun 27, 2016
Motion to accept agenda as presented - MFSC
RCMP Presentation
Staff
Sgt. Del Byron from the Williams Lake RCMP detachment joined us to discuss the
gang related violence that has occurred in our community over the last few
months.
Discussion
Notes:
Welcome
to Del
Stampede
Weekend coming up
Gang
Violence - dropped noticeably over the last few months.
Domestic
Violence - ongoing
BC
Liquor store - 50% of shop lifting in our community is from there. They need to
address their operations to help curb this.
Williams
Lake saw a decrease in gang violence - Many prolific offenders are currently in
custody (12 - 13 within the community in general).
A very notable violent offender is also in
custody.
Per
Capita however we had a higher rate of murder (compared to Surrey)
Question: Are creating different (positive) relationships helping reduce violent crime?
Answer: Only
approx 10 kids at very high risk for offending.
Lots of
activities within the community (the RCMP are very involved with youth in our
community).
Not
solely a police issue (parental, school district) - e.g. ages 3 - 13 (what
happened to these individuals during this time in their life?).
Team
effort is required to address these at risk youth.
Lots of
talk in WL, but not much action (e.g. lots of meetings, but where is the
action?)
All
agencies need to be engaged.
Same
old issued remain- drug use, poverty, and a lack of services.
Question: Please give us some background on the Blue Ribbon Panel?
Answer:
Project that began with a study (Prov of BC in 2014), and came up with a few
key points... e.g. (6 key recommendations). 80 groups were part of this -
related to crime prevention strategies.
e.g. 1)
manage prolific offenders (less reactionary), 2) Quality of mental health and
addiction supports more available, 3) Greater use of restorative justice
(locally 40 people involved - but not many Native volunteers which doesn't help
things in that population), 4) Emphasis on designing out crime (e.g.
environmental criminology - e.g. move the location, make the layout a horseshoe
design, lockboxes at doorways, etc.) 5) Strengthen
interagency collaboration* (highlighted as important for our area).
This is difficult to do when mental health is an issue, but there is no
facility or centre for them to go (only emergency room - team there but still
overloaded as the hospital is often at capacity - people even have to use this
as a walk-in clinic). Time consuming for RCMP - ties up officers. This issue is
not only prevalent in our community - it is a national issue. 6) Examine the
funding approached - inconsistencies and lack of consistent funding. Model -
streamlining services to save money, and use any excess for other needed gaps.
Fear is
rampant in this community (since the recent assault of the boy on the bike it
has gotten worse).
There
is an affordable housing issue in our community (RCMP know this).
Collaboration*
- the RCMP do their best, have meetings with many groups on a regular basis,
but more is needed.
ICAT -
Interagency Collaboration Action Team (for high risk domestic violence cases). Not an open group.
Question: FASD and crime prevention? Still a topic?
Answer: Yes, there are FASD cases locally. And these people are not necessarily
criminals per se, rather lack mental health skills to make healthy decisions.
Horton Ventures can help make this assessment (diagnosis paid for by the Govt, if
employment is a goal).
Social
Planning Council can help be a voice for people who have FASD. We used to be a
leader in this.
New
trend - It almost seems as if "disability" is a dirty word now.
In
summary - these crime issues are beginning "right out of the gate" -
babies need a strong upbringing to prevent these problems to start with.
Comment
- There should be more liasoning with First Nations (Feb 29, 2016 MacLeans
magazine addresses this topic).Choice of language is important when speaking to
diverse groups as a whole. An ethnic only caucus could be one bridge to
encourage more participation from all groups.
Society Act Changes
Brief overview
of Presentation on Jun 14 at the Central Cariboo Arts & Culture Society -
Jessica Knodel
SPC General Updates
No meetings
over summer. The SPC AGM will take place again in the fall. And Jessica Knodel,
SPC Coordinator announced she is pregnant (due late November).
Roundtable Updates
Jay Goddard (TRU) - Student
Practicum Project opportunities will be available this fall for groups that
could benefit from "taking on" a group of students. More formal
presentation of these opportunities will take place this fall.
Sharon Taylor (IMSS and local
Refugee Sponsorship Group)- Two
families coming from Liberia within the next few months (see info in last
community update sent out by the SPC). If you can help with their settlement
needs please contact Sharon. Language classes are over, but will resume in the
fall. Language services - 118 people used the services.
Margaret-Anne Enders (CMHA)- from 4:30 - 6:30 pm
tomorrow, a final wrap-up meeting of the Anti-Racism "Dirty Laundry
Campaign" is taking place at the CCACS (see last SPC Community update). The
last feature story will be published in the Tribune this week. Thank-you to everyone
who participated and helped promote this project.
Meeting adjourned. The next SPC
Meeting will take place on Sept 26, 2016 (location TBA).
