CRIME PROCEEDS USED TO EDUCATE YOUTH AT RISK

Prince George Community Policing will be using proceeds of crime
seized by the province to education youth at risk in the city about
the dangers of drugs and gang involvement.

On Friday, Prince George-Mount Robson MLA Shirley Bond announced a
$17,500 grant to Community Policing from the Civil Forfeiture
Remediation and Crime Prevention program. Since May 2006, the Civil
Forfeiture Act has allowed the B.C. Supreme Court to seize $5.6
million in property acquired through crime or to further criminal activity.

"The program will focus on a number of several forums," Bond said.
"This is about about trying to empower and bring value to youth."

Through The Right Stuff (TRST) Factor program, Community Policing will
host a series of forums for youth about on drug use, gang violence and
Internet safety.

Community Policing coordinator Linda Parker said the group will work
with other community groups already working with youth at risk to make
sure the message gets to those who need it.

"The educational sessions will be about giving them alternative life
choices. We want to empower them with positive life choices," Parker
said. "The forums will really address some key youth issues."

In addition, the funding will be used to engage local youth to design
and paint a mural in the 20th Avenue pedestrian underpass.

"Pedestrian tunnels are traditionally problematic. (But) public murals
tend to remain untouched," she said. "We are hoping it will be left
alone and make people feel safer."

Parker said they hope to involved area youth who use the pedestrian
tunnel on a regular basis in the mural design.

Prince George RCMP Superintendent Brenda Butterworth-Carr said that
crime reduction strategies like TRST Factor are important for safe
communities.

"I want to recognize what Community Policing brings to the community,"
she said. "It's a such a huge part of policing and needs to be
acknowledged."

Prince George Community Policing was one of 14 organizations to
received funding in the current round of grants. Over $1.3 million of
the $5.6 million seized has been used for victim compensation and
crime reduction projects.

"Additional financial support allows for additional opportunities to
empower youth," DARE and BRAVE youth program coordinator Cst. Deb
Medcke said. "What better way to use proceeds of crime than to prevent
crime."