Joint Presentation Well-received by Provincial Panel

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

The City of Williams Lake led a joint presentation to the Premier’s Blue-Ribbon Panel on Crime Reduction Jan. 30, informing the panel of crime reduction and community wellness initiatives being undertaken in Williams Lake.

The presentation included collaboration from the RCMP, Community Policing, School District 27, Communities That Care, Thompson Rivers University, the Williams Lake Indian Band, the Esk’etemc First Nation, and pastor Jeremy Vogt. Speakers from each organization spoke to the collaborative efforts begun in 2008 to address community safety and a healthy community, and the successes to date. The presentation also highlighted new and ongoing partnerships to continue to move forward on these important issues. Recommendations to the panel included increased social and mental health worker support outside of business hours, changes to the Privacy Act to allow even further multi-agency collaboration, and additional resources for the Williams Lake RCMP detachment.

Following the presentation, the partners participated with other stakeholders, including representatives from the court and corrections systems, Ministry of Children and Family Development, the Women’s Contact Society, and the Punky Lake Wilderness Camp Society.

“I was very proud to present together with the City’s partners, and demonstrate the high level of co-operation and collaboration among stakeholders in Williams Lake,” says Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook. “Dr. Plecas told us he was impressed with the commitment in the community to address community safety and wellness.

“It was our goal to let the panel know what we are doing in Williams Lake. I believe we accomplished that goal and more. Thanks to our community partners, we demonstrated the leadership, willingness and passion we have for reducing crime and making Williams Lake a healthier community. It is amazing what is possible when we are able to work together.”

The Premier formed the panel to study and recommend ways to further reduce the province’s crime rate. Williams Lake was one of the few communities selected for stakeholder consultation sessions, and the only community to have the panel visit for two days. The panel includes former RCMP commissioners, criminologists, and a former federal deputy solicitor general, and is chaired by criminologist and MLA Dr. Darryl Plecas.

The panel will present a report to Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton before June 30. The report is to summarize current crime reduction initiatives, identify potential challenges and concerns, provide the broader results of the stakeholder consultation and recommend opportunities and next steps.