Christmas in the Valley pages A16-17
107th Year - Week 48
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 www.interior-news.com
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Bonding over bindings BUCKLING DOWN Telkwa wrestler returns to mat.
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epic adventure From Victoria to Alaska in a row boat.
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Shawn Davidson introduces Ian, 8, to skiing for the first time at Hudson Bay Mountain’s opening weekend. Chris Gareau photo
LNG INTEREST LNG plans spark real estate interest.
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Team approach to preventing domestic violence tragedies By Alicia Bridges Smithers/Interior News
A domestic violence initiative which has been successful in other parts of British Columbia is being established in Smithers and New Hazelton in a dedicated effort to prevent tragedies. Facilitated by the RCMP, Integrated Case Assessment Teams (ICATs) work as an information-sharing system to stop victims slipping through gaps which can occur when agencies fail to collaborate. The system is dedicated exclusively to cases where there is a high risk that a victim could be killed or seriously injured. Relevant community service groups can refer cases of extreme concern to the ICAT, which is a core team of social support and criminal justice agencies. Housing, probation and parole, drug and alcohol addictions, victim support and outreach services are usually among the
sectors represented by agencies on the team. If the ICAT determines there is a high risk of a death or serious injury occurring, and Crown counsel approves, it sets about creating an extensive safety plan with the victim. RCMP officers in Smithers have already received specialized training to establish the system and officers at the Hazelton detachment are set to undergo training early next year. Smithers Staff Sgt. Kirsten Marshall said ICAT would offer a more effective, interagency approach to supporting or protecting victims. “Every once in a while there are cases that are to the extreme of the domestic violence scale and where there is a concern that the normal provisions that may be in place may not be enough,” Marshall said. “It’s an opportunity for multiple community agencies to come together and say ‘can we come up with other ways to help mitigate the risk in this case?’ because it’s a risk that is to the high or extreme level.”
RCMP New Hazelton Const. Cam Thompson has been working towards establishing an ICAT system in the Hazeltons for about a year. He said responding to domestic violence was a big part of policing in the Hazeltons. The ICAT system would allow the RCMP to approach the problem from new angles. “There is the straight Criminal Code enforcement way of combating [violence in relationships], working against the offences,” said Thompson. “And there are other ways, including this ICAT system, to sort of work with the people involved on a non-criminal basis to alter the attitudes and the relationships so that these things don’t persist.” The ICAT model originated in Vernon, where the system has been in place since 2010. Vernon RCMP Const. Lisa McMullin, who is now co-chair of the North Okanagan ICAT, had just started working in the Domestic Violence Unit when it started in 2010. See TEAM on A8
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