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HomeNewsNational Police Federation says violent stranger attacks in BC up 35% since...

National Police Federation says violent stranger attacks in BC up 35% since 2019

The National Police Federation is fuming after a court decision in relation to an assault on a Prince George RCMP officer was less than satisfactory.

Last week, an Abbotsford judge via Fort St. John court sentenced a man to probation with no curfew or conditions.

In August of 2021, a female member of the detachment sustained a serious head injury after being violently assaulted by the suspect and has not been back to work since.

Pacific/North Region Director, Rob Farrer said this follows a concerning trend that violent attacks on strangers are rising in our province.

“We know that since 2019/2020 those are up 35% and we also know that custodial sentences are down from 15,000 in 2019 to 9,000 in the province. So, we do know that those types of violent crimes are going up and that those sentences are going down.”

“The individual, in this case, didn’t really serve any jail time. There was some time served but he essentially got probation. Frankly, that doesn’t do very much to demonstrate that the system backs up the very dangerous job that police officers do every day.”

Farrer added the suspect who was being pursued during the retail theft in PG could have just ran away but instead chose to hide between some parked cars and then ambushed the officer.

He also mentioned it’s clear Bill C-75 which was passed by Ottawa to release more offenders from jail has not had the desired effect when dealing with certain offenders.

“I don’t necessarily blame the individual prosecutors involved in this but there seems to be a systemic approach from the federal government to let people out more frequently who are committing these offenses and these offenses are going up so it doesn’t seem to be working.”

“I can recognize that there are problems that need to be addressed and they need to get all the people that can put up the proper solutions in the same room to talk about these solutions. Right now, there is an increase in violent crime that way and a decrease in custodial sentences.”

According to the NPF, the female officer’s injury may be career-threatening despite repeated attempts and a strong desire to come back.

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