NWCC Criminology Blog

Kristi Genzale – CCSJ practicum 2011 student blog

The last three days of my practicum were a little bit slow.

On Tuesday, one of the volunteers that was supposed to help out with one of the presentations didn’t show up, so I filled in doing that for the day.On Wednesday, I worked on brochures all day, on money fraud, credit card fraud and protecting your business. Then on Thursday, I got to hang out in property for the day.

In the morning we worked on a little bit of inventory. After that, we went outside and I got a tour of basically all the equipment that would come out of a house after a grow operation or meth lab has been busted. After that we loaded the truck full of bags of marijuana that had been taken from grow operations in Abbotsford; I was told at least three grows are busted a week.

We drove to Chilliwack where they do a burn, so they burn all organic things, including road kill. The incinerator double burns so no smell or anything comes out and you can watch everything burn though a glass hole in the door.

All in all I had a good time at my practicum at the Abbotsford Community Police station and I learned a lot.

Kristi Genzale is a 19-year-old born and raised in Chilliwack, BC, who has always wanted to be a police officer. Kristi, who is returning in the fall to NWCC to work towards an Associate Degree in Criminology, is doing her CCSJ work practicum with the Abbotsford Municipal Police.

Laverne Stewart – CCSJ practicum 2011 student blog

Shift 17

It’s the last meeting I will be attending here at the Prince George Parole Office. So today was something new; I finally went to the women’s ward at PGRCC. We went there to interview one of the offenders who want to apply for day parole.

While there, I was able to look around the women’s ward a little; one of the offenders allowed us to look around in their room/cell, in which we had to go through the common area, which is a big open area with tables and chairs, and big windows that let in a lot of daylight.

They also have a nice fitness room, learning room with computer, big room for programs, and a big kitchen area that is also where they have their coffee breaks during programs. So I feel very lucky to have experienced that tour as it is very high security and not always granted.

Shift 18

Today I also went to the women’s ward to complete the application interview for Provincial day parole with the Parole Officer. In this interview, we would get a criminal history and not just what the offence was but why did they committed it. It also cover their plans of release, like where they intend to live, any counselling needs, are they going to be looking for employment and, if so, do they need employment training? It also has to be determined if there is enough community or family support for these individuals.

Shift 19

Well, today is my last day. Today was more of a farewell until we meet again kind of day. We had a nice potluck with the whole staff.  I did help with the phones because they were short staffed, which I had no problem with. I will miss the staff at the Prince George Parole office. I have a new understanding of Corrections Canada.

Laverne Stewart. has lived in Terrace, B.C. for eight years and is a working mother of three boys. Her area of interest in criminology is in Correctional Services, so she is completing her CCSJ work practicum with a Parole Office in Prince George, B.C.

Sean De Melo – CCSJ practicum 2011 student blog

Shift 15: FINAL

So today I was supposed to have a tour with the FIS (Forensic Identification Section), which I believe is all the investigations that go on inside the RCMP.  Instead I was placed with the OCC (Operational Communications Centre) again just like I was on my very first shift. The FIS was too busy and couldn’t give the tour.

 First, I listened in on the dispatch section, however it was pretty slow and nothing happening. After about an hour of dispatch I moved to the call taker side, which I was able to hear a couple of calls come through.

The lady I was with was really nice, and we practically just talked the entire time about everything. An enjoyable 2 hours for my last shift :) !  I am very grateful for this practicum; it has opened me up to a lot of the different sections in the policing industry. 

Sean De Melo is a 21-year-old criminology student from Kitimat currently finishing up the Community, Crime and Social Justice (CCSJ) program. He hopes to pursue a career with the municipal police in Vancouver.

Adrienne Chisholm – CCSJ practicum 2011 student blog

Shift Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen

Afternoon shifts have been a rewarding experience. One of the clients opened up to me about her life experiences and it helped me understand just how difficult it can be for the women at Columbia Place to create a “normal” existence.

This client was exposed to illicit drug use at a very early age. She actually injected someone with heroin at the age of 11 and starting using heroin herself at the age of 15. This client was also one of the women who had been accused of smoking crack earlier in the week, and was therefore required to have her urine tested for drugs (UA).

She was asked if she would like to disclose any drug use as it would seem more compliant to her parole officer than if her UA came back positive. She decided to disclose that she had been smoking crack with her co-resident that had gone UAL (Unlawfully at Large). During my experience at Columbia Place, other women who had chosen not to disclose drug use and subsequently had dirty UA results received early curfew until they were transferred to a treatment center or back to prison.

Disclosing the drug use paid off for this client, instead of being transferred to treatment she was instructed to create a plan for herself that included attending support group meetings 4 times per week. She was able to carry on her residence at Columbia Place appearing grateful for this second chance.

Adrienne Chisholm has lived with her family in Terrace, B.C. since 1992. She plans on continuing her studies at NWCC, and work toward an Associate of Arts Degree.

Sean De Melo – CCSJ practicum 2011 student blog

Shift 14:

Today I was placed with the morning B watch shift from 6am-4pm.  Going to keep it brief and just say what we did. We did the briefing at the start of the shift with all the officers, than we drove out. The first file we went to was a dropped 911 call. Indo-Canadians are probably the cause of most of the 911 calls. The reason is, is because the country code for India is 911. 

The next call we went to was a woman who thought her niece was suicidal, but it was reasonable to say she wasn’t.  Next call was for a fight that sort of broke out at this run-down motel area so we went to see what was up. And that concludes my shift, wasn’t too busy but at least it was better than other days I have been on. 

Sean De Melo is a 21-year-old criminology student from Kitimat currently finishing up the Community, Crime and Social Justice (CCSJ) program. He hopes to pursue a career with the municipal police in Vancouver.

Laverne Stewart – CCSJ practicum 2011 student blog

Shift 15

Another day out of the box, I spent a shift at Activators. It was a late start in order for me to see the shift change there. So I arrived there at lunch time at this time the staff and residents serve themselves lunch that is made for them.

Then there is after lunch clean up, which is done by the residents. Not all residents are there during the meal times because they are permitted to work or leave the grounds as long as they sign out to the correct address they will be attending. And same routine during dinner time, the residents also have daily chores that have to be completed like the floors, cleaning the bathroom, and doing the house hold laundry, etc. However, they are all responsible for doing their own laundry and cleaning their own rooms.

 Shift 16

This was only for a couple of hours to attend to the Citizens Advisory Committee meeting that happens once a month.

Laverne Stewart. has lived in Terrace, B.C. for eight years and is a working mother of three boys. Her area of interest in criminology is in Correctional Services, so she is completing her CCSJ work practicum with a Parole Office in Prince George, B.C.

Sean De Melo – CCSJ practicum 2011 student blog

Shift 13:

I was with the Traffic Officers again on this shift. I stay by my thought of not wanting to go into this designated part of any Police Agency. The traffic officers are the hunters, so their role is quite different from the general duty officers. 

Anyway, on my shift I went to cells first, because the guy I was partnered with is a workaholic and went in to work super early and made an arrest. He came back to the district to do some paper work, which is what led us to go to the cells. After that, we went to the hospital because there was an impaired driver who crashed. The general duty officer didn’t know how to take the blood sample, and the traffic officers do, so we went to the hospital to lend the GD a hand.

I saw and semi learned how the blood process for the police is, quite a bit to it. So to remember it all, the steps from seeing it only once might be a bit hard... Anyway after that we did some patrols and went to a family festival where people last year normally didn’t wear seat belts.  So the corporal I was with wanted to do seat belt checks there.  After doing that for awhile, we just drove around looking for people to give tickets to. 

We gave out about 20 tickets that shift, and some of those tickets had 2 or 3 charges on it.  So in the end of the shift he gave about 30 or so charges, and like only 3 warnings. We also impounded two vehicles from prohibited drivers.  So I saw a true ticket giver this shift, and saw how it was supposed to be done. Quite an informational shift which was great, but I don’t think I could ever give that many charges in a day, not something I find exciting like traffic officers do.  

Sean De Melo is a 21-year-old criminology student from Kitimat currently finishing up the Community, Crime and Social Justice (CCSJ) program. He hopes to pursue a career with the municipal police in Vancouver.