The provincial government intends to target violent repeat offenders by setting up 12 鈥渉ubs鈥� dedicated to the issue.

B.C. Premier David Eby announced the creation of the 12 teams of police, prosecutors and probation officers on Wednesday (April 12), as part of the province鈥檚 $25-million repeat violent offending intervention initiative.

The hubs will be based in Nanaimo, Victoria, Vancouver, Surrey, New Westminster, Abbotsford, Kamloops, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Prince George, Williams Lake and Terrace, and each will also serve surrounding communities.

According to a press release from the province, the hubs will work with local stakeholders and with existing programs such as situation tables, 鈥渃o-ordinating responses鈥� through the justice system and connecting offenders with social services.

Eby said in the release that ensuring community safety requires co-ordinated and determined work.

鈥淭hese new regional hubs will help prosecutors, police and corrections officials focus on addressing specific repeat prolific offenders to keep communities safe,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his will deliver serious consequences for those who repeatedly break the law, while also making sure targeted services are available to those who are ready for them.鈥�

The provincial government announced its repeat offender intervention initiative last month, noting that the $25 million would support 21 Crown counsel, 21 B.C. Prosecution Service support staff and 34 corrections officials, supervisors and probation officers.

Niki Sharma, B.C.鈥檚 attorney general, said in the release that crimes committed by repeat violent offenders are a concern nationwide, and said the province鈥檚 investment in dedicated Crown counsel will 鈥減rovide criminal law advice and independent prosecutorial support and services to support the hubs and help build safer, more just communities.鈥�

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The B.C. government also announced it will spend $16 million over three years on a new special investigation and targeted enforcement program to help police agencies investigate and share information on cases involving repeat offenders.

Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog said in the release that he鈥檚 pleased that one of the hubs will be set up in his community, and expressed hope that an integrated approach will help address underlying issues while also disrupting crime and improving safety.

鈥淲e鈥檝e witnessed the tragic fallout from repeat violent offending in Nanaimo far too many times,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 optimistic that these new initiatives will be the building blocks which will hold criminals accountable and prevent crimes from happening in the first place.鈥�

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editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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