By Cheryl Jahn

Car 60-like program proposed

Jan 15, 2021 | 10:44 AM

PRINCE GEORGE – During Monday night’s Council meeting, Mayor and Council approved a series of recommendations around the downtown, pone of which builds upon the Car 60 program. That’ a program that has been functioning in the city for more than five years ago and it pairs an RCMP officer with a mental health professional. When an officer is called out and it warrants special consideration, Car 60 is called out.

This new program was tried years ago, and the RCMP and Northern Health are giving it another go.

“We’ve been in discussions with Northern Health with regard to re-invigorating a pilot project where we would have a member specifically assigned to work with some of their outreach teams and, really, give them some additional capacity.”

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For example, if there needs to be a patient check to ensure medications are being taken, the RCMP could lend a hand and, more specifically, an additional person when needed.

Last year, Councillor Kyle Sampson sought and got approval to review the current Car 60 program with an eye to expanding it. He sees this newest plan as an adjunct to the Car 60 program.

“It was actually interesting to hear that from Superintendent Wright to say ‘Hey it’s not necessarily a specific expansion to Car 60 in its form now. It’s looking at what we can do to add more resources in maybe a different way but one that’s still requiring that attention’ Mental health, addiction issues, social issues. The list goes on.”

He says, as far as he understands, his request to have the Car 60 program reviewed and possibly expanded is still underway.