By David F. Rooney
Local Mounties want to nab your kids and bust ’em — Bust Them for Good Behaviour, in fact, through a new Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) program that seeks to improve relations between young people and the local cops.
“I saw a similar program in Vernon and thought ‘Why not have one like this in Revelstoke?'” said MCFD’s Caroline Grenier. “I started thinking about how many youths have been caught doing something good, as opposed to something bad.”
If Grenier is anything she is persistent. She talked the local Mounties into participating in the program but she got Revelstoke Printing to layout and design the tickets, which will be handed out to local youths who are spotted doing the right thing. Those who receive a ticket could get free stuff from A&W, Chevron, the City of Revelstoke’s Aquatic Centre and the Forum or free admission to one of the Revelstoke Arts Council’s winter concerts.
MCFD Team Leader John Yakielashek called the program “an opportunity for a better relationship.”
“So often perception drives our behaviour,” he said, adding that the program may help alter perceptions on both sides.
Revelstoke doesn’t have very much serious youth crime, but there are incidents that arise when some young people are just plain bored.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Jackie Olsen said she saw similar programs achieve high rates of success in Tofino and other communinities and she wouldn’t mind seeing it do the same thing here.
Mayor Dave Raven said any program that works to improve relationships should be supported and he anticipates that this one, too, will reach those youths who are , for one reason or another, acting out their boredom and/or discontent.
You can find out more about the program by calling the RCMP detachment at 250-837-5255 or the MCFD at 250-837-7612.
