RCMP

An overcast day settles above the front of the building. It's facade features a tall stylized wooden arbor and large glass windows.

Info session aims to help parents safeguard their children from online sextortion

January 12, 2024 by Ian Gregg

We may not think sextortion exists in a place like Prince George, but a youth suicide which happened late in October 2023 in our community indicates it can happen almost anywhere. As online access becomes increasingly easy, associated crime increases as well.

Sextortion is a means of sexual exploitation in which a perpetrator threatens to release sexual images or information to coerce a victim.

The Prince George RCMP, and School District No. 57 (SD57) are organizing an online-safety & information session for parents and caregivers about what sextortion is and how to prevent it.

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper emphasizes the importance of parents learning to safeguard their children online. ”They know stranger danger,” she continues, “for some reason that’s not transferring over to the online arena.”

Speakers from SD57, the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Team, and Safer Schools Together will attend, while questions can be submitted in person or anonymously.

A group of people walk in an alley way at night.

Citizens on Patrol back on Smithers streets in spring 2024

January 4, 2024 by Pamela Haasen

Citizens On Patrol are volunteer-run groups all across Canada with an aim to help inform police of petty crimes such as property damages. Typically, they drive in cars in pairs of two during nighttime hours when most small crimes take place.

The town of Smithers had a Citizens on Patrol group in 2019, but once the COVID-19 pandemic struck, there were too many barriers to warrant continuing.

Over the 2023 holidays, Lorne Benson held a meeting at The Sunshine Inn to gather interested parties in re-instating COP Smithers. The reception was positive and a volunteer board was created in order to legitimize the group and have it recognized as an official British Columbian society. By becoming a society, the Smithers COP will have access to training and policies written by larger Citizens on Patrol groups.

Lorne Benson said that he is hopeful to get Smithers Citizens on Patrol up and running by spring of 2024.

The side of a RCMP car is framed in the photo parked on the side of the road.

RCMP arrest suspect for aggravated assault, searching disposal Services site

January 3, 2024 by Mick Sweetman

Nanaimo RCMP have arrested a suspect for aggravated assault and are executing search warrents at DBL Disposal Services on 10th Street in Nanaimo.

According to RCMP, shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday, police were called to check on the wellbeing of a man on the 300 block of 10th Street with serious but non-life threatening injuries who had allegedly been assaulted. Paramedics took the man to hospital.

The RCMP’s serious crimes unit spent Tuesday executing search warrants at DBL Disposal Services and continues to investigate.

Police would not say what the suspect or victim’s relationship to DBL Disposal Services is, if any weapons were involved, or if they were known to police.

The suspect remains in custody as of Tuesday afternoon and RCMP say that it is an isolated incident limited to the one victim and the one suspect.

Traveling fraudulent group last seen in Nanaimo: RCMP

December 22, 2023 by Lauryn Mackenzie

The Nanaimo RCMP has issued a warning to a fraudulent group last seen in Nanaimo.

The four men are targeting residents by going door to door offering to complete roofing, gutter, driveway or paving services.

They have been connected to frauds committed in serval communities on the South end of Vancouver Island and the Mainland.

CHLY spoke with Nanaimo RCMP Const. Gary O’Brien to learn more about the situation.

A police officer stands in the middle of the road during a road stop. It's dark out the lights on the cars stopped light up the street

The holidays are not the time for impaired driving: MADD Canada

December 22, 2023 by Lauryn Mackenzie

During the holiday season, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada says in British Columbia an average of seven people die at the hands of impaired drivers. This is a rise: the average number for the rest of the months in the year is five deaths per month, according to the organization.

CHLY talks with Charlie Grahn, board member of MADD Metro Vancouver, about the current rate of impaired driving deaths in the province as well as the local RCMP.

Photo of a police officer with a high-visibility jacket and a motorcycle helmet talking to a man in an orange car with a green kayak on the roof.

RCMP launch back-to-school safety blitz

September 6, 2023 by Mick Sweetman

Nanaimo RCMP were out in front of Departure Bay Elementary on Wednesday reminding drivers to slow down in school zones.

According to RCMP constable Martin Kortas who was checking the speed of cars as they drove past, speeding in a school zone could cost you anywhere from $196 to almost $500 depending how fast you are clocked.

Officers are also checking for distracted drivers using their cell phones when behind the wheel, which could earn drivers a $368 ticket and four points off their licence.

“Please observe the law,” he said. “We have all these little children out here and parents who want to get to and from their school with as little disruption as possible.”

Kortas says that most people are checking their speed in the 30 km school zones, which is in force from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“I’ve only had to have a conversation with one or two motorists in the last few days and I’ve not issued any violation tickets,” he said.

Minutes after saying that he clocked a car going 20 km over the speed limit and pulled the driver over for a stern chat by the roadside. This time the driver was lucky and Kortas let him off with a warning to slow down in school zones instead of an expensive ticket.

The road in front of Departure Bay Elementary has been a long-time concern for parents and neighbourhood residents.

In July, Nanaimo city council allocated $365,000 in funding to build a sidewalk on the south side of the street in front of the school.

At the city’s governance and priorities committee meeting on July 17 Coun. Ben Gesselbract said he has navigated the narrow paved shoulder himself in the past.

“I personally have had to walk with kids across to Wardropper park when my brother was teaching the school for a while there and it’s a super sketchy stretch of road. That’s why the bollards have been put up and it just requires more permanent infrastructure.”

Staff estimates that the project, which is part of a larger $1 million package of pedestrian improvements across the city, will take approximately two years to complete.

Constable Kortas says he is happy to hear about the planned improvements to the sidewalk.

“Anything that will improve pedestrian and or motor safety in the city, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear about.”