Connect with us

Alberta

RCMP looks to expand its crisis teams to avoid violent conflicts during mental health calls

Published

3 minute read

From CBC News

Some RCMP divisions pair a Mountie with a nurse — but the arrangement isn’t available everywhere

The call came in close to the end of RCMP Const. Lorri Kokkola’s shift on a cold, cloudy day in Red Deer, Alta.

“He has some delusions right now that are very real. They’ve escalated,” said the woman on the other end.

“His comment was, ‘Somebody’s gotta f—ing die before anyone believes me. So I have to kill myself.'”

Kokkola headed to the man’s apartment, but she wasn’t alone. Riding shotgun was John Obelienius, a psychiatric nurse with more than a decade of experience.

She and Obelienius make up what’s known as a PACT — a police and crisis team. Kokkola entered the man’s apartment first but Obelienius ended up doing most of the talking.

RCMP Const. Lorri Kokkola and psychiatric nurse John Obelienius listen in as a call comes through.

RCMP Const. Lorri Kokkola and psychiatric nurse John Obelienius listen in as a call comes through. ( Jean-Francois Benoit/CBC)

Inside, they found a young man deep in the coils of paranoia, rattling off conspiracy theories. His legs shook nervously as he lay back on his living room couch.

“So last night, you made a decision to hurt somebody,” said Obelienius.

“I did,” the man responded.

The young man told Obelienius that he hadn’t been sleeping or eating, that he knew he was slipping.

“Just be honest with the suicide stuff, too, right?” Obelienius told him. “If you start feeling like you’re losing grip, you can call.”

They talked for more than 10 minutes. Obelienius and Kokkola left with a warning — making threats can get you into trouble — and a promise to check in after a few days.

And that was it. No trip to a crammed hospital ER or a police cell. Just a quiet chat and a conflict avoided.

“Police before, because they didn’t have the mental health training or access to a professional beside them, nine out of every 10 police calls would get apprehended and brought to hospital,” said Obelienius.

“Now I think we’re down to probably one out of every 10, right? That clinical expertise is able to help us avoid apprehension.

Please click here to see the rest of this CBC article

Red Deer Primary Care Network (RDPCN) is a partnership between Family Doctors and Alberta Health Services. Health professionals such as psychologists, social workers, nurses and pharmacists work in clinics alongside family doctors. In addition, programs and groups are offered at the RDPCN central location. This improves access to care, health promotion, chronic disease management and coordination of care. RDPCN is proud of the patient care offered, the effective programs it has designed and the work it does with partners in health care and the community. www.reddeerpcn.com

Follow Author

Alberta

Made in Alberta! Province makes it easier to support local products with Buy Local program

Published on

Show your Alberta side. Buy Local.

When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.

Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.

The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.

“It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.

Quick facts

  • This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
  • In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
  • Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
  • Made in Alberta product catalogue website

 

Related information

Continue Reading

Alberta

Province to expand services provided by Alberta Sheriffs: New policing option for municipalities

Published on

Expanding municipal police service options

Proposed amendments would help ensure Alberta’s evolving public safety needs are met while also giving municipalities more options for local policing.

As first announced with the introduction of the Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, Alberta’s government is considering creating a new independent agency police service to assume the police-like duties currently performed by Alberta Sheriffs. If passed, Bill 49 would lay additional groundwork for the new police service.

Proposed amendments to the Police Act recognize the unique challenges faced by different communities and seek to empower local governments to adopt strategies that effectively respond to their specific safety concerns, enhancing overall public safety across the province.

If passed, Bill 49 would specify that the new agency would be a Crown corporation with an independent board of directors to oversee its day-to-day operations. The new agency would be operationally independent from the government, consistent with all police services in Alberta. Unlike the Alberta Sheriffs, officers in the new police service would be directly employed by the police service rather than by the government.

“With this bill, we are taking the necessary steps to address the unique public safety concerns in communities across Alberta. As we work towards creating an independent agency police service, we are providing an essential component of Alberta’s police framework for years to come. Our aim is for the new agency is to ensure that Albertans are safe in their communities and receive the best possible service when they need it most.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

Additional amendments would allow municipalities to select the new agency as their local police service once it becomes fully operational and the necessary standards, capacity and frameworks are in place. Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring the new agency works collaboratively with all police services to meet the province’s evolving public safety needs and improve law enforcement response times, particularly in rural communities. While the RCMP would remain the official provincial police service, municipalities would have a new option for their local policing needs.

Once established, the agency would strengthen Alberta’s existing policing model and complement the province’s current police services, which include the RCMP, Indigenous police services and municipal police. It would help fill gaps and ensure law enforcement resources are deployed efficiently across the province.

Related information

Continue Reading

Trending

X