SPC Monthly Minutes (draft) - Jun 27 2016

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).