Weather cooled, accidents abound
The recent change in weather has brought numerous reports of traffic accidents to Vanderhoof’s detachment in the past week, the RCMP said.
Four cases were reported on Nov. 17 morning alone, with two causing injuries serious enough for individuals to be sent to St. John Hospital.
“People are not responding to the changed road conditions,” Sgt. Svend Nielsen said.
He advises that the displayed speed limits are for ideal conditions — they set the limit and are not the starting speed for vehicles.
Improved crime reduction program produces results
Vanderhoof’s detachment revamped its program to reduce crime in the area on Nov. 13, allowing them to better deal with priority offenders — those in continual contact with the police, the RCMP said.
Since last weekend, the police has found 10 individuals breaching court conditions and sent three back into jail.
“The program is designed to help them be accountable to the conditions they are released upon by court,” Nielsen said.
Individuals released by court may be subject to conditions such as a curfew, a limit on alcohol consumption, or house arrest, and the police conducts probation and curfew checks, as well as partnering with the probation office, to ensure that the court order is complied.
The same model has applied to other RCMP detachments such as Fort St. James, where it led to a successful reduction in files, Nielsen said.
The program also allows the police to build a background on those who continue to disobey their conditions, potentially leading to longer sentences in a future offence.
“We’re checking the people that are continually causing issues — crime, violence, etcetera — in our community,” he said. “We’re trying to stop them before it begins.”
– with files from Sgt. Svend Nielsen, Vanderhoof RCMP
