Whitehorse Daily Star

More RCMP officers, Crime Stoppers’ return set

Whitehorse will soon have four more RCMP officers and a resurrected Crime Stoppers crime prevention program.

By Pierre Chauvin on April 8, 2016

Whitehorse will soon have four more RCMP officers and a resurrected Crime Stoppers crime prevention program.

In Thursday’s new territorial budget, the Yukon government is allocating $385,000 for four new regular members and one civilian clerk.

It also allocated $21,000 to bring back the Yukon Crime Stoppers program, which included a regular Friday column in the Star.

“The funding is intended to help with crime reduction and to allow (the RMCP) to increase their efforts in targeting property crime and drug trafficking,” Justice Minister Brad Cathers told the Star this morning.

The civilian clerk will allow officers to spend less time doing paperwork, Cathers said.

It’s not known when the new officers will arrive, but it will take at least a couple of months.

It will depend on the recruitment requests the RCMP receive from other parts of the country, the minister said.

The Crime Stoppers program funding follows from discussions the department had with the Yukon and Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce.

Last December, the Whitehorse chamber called for the program to be brought back.

The call came after a break-in spree hit six businesses downtown.

Java Connection, The Feed Store/Pet Junction and Hendrik’s Barber Shop were broken into.

The thief smashed out the deadbolts and checked the tills for cash.

In the past eight months, there has been a sharp increase in break-ins to businesses in the downtown core.

Yukon Crime Stoppers operated until 2011, when it was shut down due to a lack of community involvement.

Crime Stoppers associations across the country provide cash rewards to tipsters who provide valuable information the police can use.

But they never disclose the tipsters’ identities to the police.

To ensure that rule is followed, receiving government funding for tips is forbidden.

Government money could open the door to ask for the tipsters’ identities, Michael Kearney, a former Yukon Crime Stoppers president, told the Star in December 2015.

That means that the cash payouts have to come from fundraising.

“There is so many people vying for funds when doing fundraising, it’s hard to raise that money,” said Kearney, explaining the struggles the association faced at the time.

The money the government is giving the association will only go toward administrative costs, Cathers said.

A number of volunteers have stepped forward, he added.

It will take between three and six months for the association to set up a website and a tips line.

“There is wide support in the community for Crime Stoppers to come back,” said Rick Karp, president of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re pleased the Yukon government is supporting that.”

Both measures, increased front line officers and the Crime Stoppers program will help tackle mounting criminality, he said.

But no single action can stop criminal activity on its own, he noted.

“I think it’s a community-wide effort that has come into play,” he said.

In a press release today, Yukon RCMP Chief Supt. Peter Clark said the force is pleased to see the program return to the territory.

“Crime Stoppers is a valuable tool to help promote community engagement in responding to criminal activity,” he was quoted as saying.

Nobody from the RCMP was made available to the Star today to discuss the plans despite repeated interview requests placed Thursday.

Comments (13)

Up 25 Down 9

Public investigation on Apr 13, 2016 at 2:13 pm

so more:
Mclaughlins, Belaks, Koesters, Potters, Seidmanns, Carrs, Whites, Rundells, Leggets, Cormiers, Davidson, Dumwalls, Wolframms, campbells, gorks, etc?

Each of these people have been charged with some of the most indecent acts known to man, including molestation (some have been convicted)
There is also the entire Osoyoos group.

Great! I wish the YG would read a little into the statistics of the Mounties and ask whether it's possible to create a Whitehorse police department so that there is a check on what these mounties do.

For those that claim it's the courts fault for the lack of convictions; that's wrong. The problem is we have under trained rookies that use the Yukon as a proving ground. They aren't familiar with due process and they feel they can do as they wish. This usually leads to difficulty when trying to obtain convictions. All of the territories face this problem. The more senior officers usually retire down south on their pensions and enjoy their last days in the sun.

The RCMP that we're so keen on employing is the same group that are currently riddled with sexual harassment lawsuits, pension scandals, and a head that says they know that there are racist officers in the dept. Just like refugees their should be screening into these officers being hired. It was either PEI or NB where the RCMP were found to have more officers on payroll then actually available. The Game of "Hide the mountie," isn't a new one.

http://robwipond.com/archives/245

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rcmp-discipline-behaviour-accountability-act-1.3490768

There is an entire generation happy to see their "men in red," ... they harken back, yes I used harken, to the halls of Buckingham.
There is nothing royal about what they are doing. These agents of Ottawa are undertrained, undereducated, alpha males, waiting for their chance to be one of the guys.

I don't think bringing in more from this fractured group is going to help the situation. Also, considering that RCMP are directly involved in drug dealing the question remains, how many of these unsavoury types are here because of the protection afforded to them by a lack of a local enforcement?

Up 11 Down 0

Arn Anderson on Apr 11, 2016 at 5:39 pm

Number 1 charge and a re-offending charge is a breach of recognizance, usually it starts with one dumb charge and for coolness/hardness effect, breach your probation. So you see one person with 30 charges, 20 or more is of those BoR.

Up 122 Down 237

wolverine on Apr 11, 2016 at 5:33 pm

I agree that criminals these days act with impunity. However the problem isn't lack of enforcement by the RCMP, but rather it's the leniency of the courts.
Criminals know that if they're caught, excuses will be made and no meaningful punishment will be given. There is no deterrent to continued criminal activity.

We don't need harsher laws, instead we need harsher punishment to fit the crime. More importantly, that punishment must be equally applied to everyone regardless of their race, childhood experiences or social problems.

No more excuses, get tough on crime.

Up 36 Down 7

YOA?? on Apr 11, 2016 at 1:05 pm

Josey YOA has been replaced in 2003 by the YCJA.

It sure is easy for you to sit and peck on your keyboard and rant about ANY issue and have ALL the solutions- how have you actually helped improve your community today?

Up 34 Down 9

cameras on Apr 11, 2016 at 12:11 pm

@jc

I don't know how cameras can really help. Even if they know who it is, society still seems to want to protect the rights of the perpetrator and then the owner gets in trouble for posting the pictures. IF they are arrested, nothing happens because generally they have nothing if they are charged. What do they care? They aren't out anything at all. Not only does the business owner have to pay for the camera, but they also have to pay for all the damages and loss that these people inflict on them and they pay nothing.

Basically, it's a criminals world out there these days. People can say or do whatever they want and there is no repercussion.
What we need are harsher laws. I'm not saying capital punishment but something to make people pay for the damage they do.

Up 8 Down 42

Josey Wales on Apr 11, 2016 at 9:36 am

Well folks get ready to see your "local" criminals in the paper, often different photos of the same folks.
I say it is "shamed" outta the paper within six months..by the PC Crusaders and their zealot supporters.
Whitehorse gets four more cops, as odd as it reads..that is a good thing.
Hopefully those new four members will conduct themselves in a professional manner, and not undermine the membership with time off for the usual.
Now if we could rid the books of Y.O.A. and Gladue toss in some castle laws, fire a few judges?
Oddly enough I have the opinion that many, not all of our issues with "crime" will lessen. Or at least our chronic exposure to it via animals outta their cages.

Failing that, get a couple dogs that are smart and could pull you from a river if need be. Have awareness of ones surroundings, know the courts care not of our" actual public safety. Remember when seconds count the compliance crews are minutes away.
Do these things and IMHO you will not become prey, the predators will die off.
I hope it creates more than optics this initiative, and fills up those day care centers with security.

Yeah...this town? These days more like Winnipeg or Regina with a lil' engineered Taranta. The town I remember as Whitehorse, died or rather was "euthanized" via the willfully ignorant and the greedy.

Up 40 Down 111

Citi Zen on Apr 11, 2016 at 8:28 am

I'm all for getting more RCMP officers. But since there are currently 7 paid positions per watch and they currently only run, on average, about 4 members on shift at a time due to shortages I don't see how this will help. So now there will be 8 paid positions but we will still only have 4 pairs of boots on the street at a time?

Up 40 Down 117

citizen on Apr 10, 2016 at 11:03 pm

Instead of worrying about petty thievery and break ins, why don't you RCMP do some real police work and find the culprits of recent murders, rapes, shootings, stabbings and find those coke dealers than ruin the community day by day... RCMP around here is from the city and have no idea about small town policing.. disgraceful

Up 4 Down 1

Local retailers buy local like Independent Canadian Tire on Apr 10, 2016 at 1:19 pm

Just getting the facts straight.

Up 17 Down 2

Arn Anderson on Apr 10, 2016 at 8:26 am

I support Yukon growth by having my Yukon address on the parcels I receive from online stores. If I can order food I would, why buy local when local doesn't buy local?

Up 31 Down 3

jc on Apr 8, 2016 at 6:15 pm

When will the business people invest in security cameras? It is not expensive and insurance rates go down. I have one, and I'm not in business. It's great to have.

Up 56 Down 8

Smurf on Apr 8, 2016 at 5:55 pm

What a "wonderful" place this city has become...

Advertised as the "wilderness city" but what is the truth: The wilderness around is awesome, but the city itself is getting more and more unattractive and ugly!

- Empty lots, stores, garbage and cigarette butts everywhere, drunks and drugs are pretty obvious!
- Rules and more unnecessary rules from some our self-satisfied city officials (our way or no way)!
- Totally overpriced rental units and cramped new neighborhoods with also overpriced houses!
- Cost of living goes through the roof because of continuous increases (taxes, utilities, phone, cable, internet)!
- Greedy business owners which are not able to provide good customer service and charge an arm and a leg for their products!
- Wages which are so low that people are not able to make a living up here without having 2 or 3 jobs!
- No competition, variety or even a proper mall (like "MALL" in other cities)

No wonder, why so many people are moving away (and I can't blame them)...

Up 258 Down 518

Mick on Apr 8, 2016 at 4:12 pm

Let's see actual foot patrols and I don't mean just from the detachment to Tim Hortons and back.

After 6pm the downtown core is overrun by people openly drinking, using drugs, swearing, fighting etc. It's pretty disgusting and I'm sure the tourists (let alone locals) avoid the area like the plague.

The riverfront is full of drunks and debauchery anytime of the day or night.

The RCMP should be out on foot where they can see first hand what is going on out there then call in the paddy wagons and get these people off the street and into a court mandated program.

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