The New Westminster Police Department has new policies on the books for parental child abduction investigations and medical and non-medical masks.
Chief Const. Dave Jansen said the mask policy is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the parental child abduction investigations policy didn’t exist until now.
“These are brand new policies that we hadn’t had before,” he told the New Westminster police board at its Feb. 16 meeting. “It is just recognizing a gap in our policies and to fill that gap.”
Sasha Ramnarine, a member of the police board, questioned if the NWPD has had any issues with members not getting access to masks or personal protective equipment during the pandemic.
“We have been very lucky with the support from the city and from the province – police services. We have been able to keep our supplies up,” Jansen said. “We have identified one staff member who oversees that and makes sure that we always have appropriate amounts. Fingers crossed, but so far, so good. We have been lucky there.”
The NWPD’s new Parental Child Abduction Investigations policy states the police department will consider reports of children abducted by a parent to be a priority complaint.
“Parental child abductions are serious, difficult and complex situations that can have lifelong impacts on those involved,” states the policy.
Parental child abductions occur when one parent, without either legal authority or the permission of the other parent, takes a child from the parent who has lawful custody.
The policy is intended to provide direction and guidance to members regarding the investigations, decisions to arrest, and when and how charges may be recommended against persons who have been reported to have committed a parental child abduction offence. It is not intended for suspected child abductions by a non-parent/non-legal guardian or crimes where a ransom or other specific demand has been communicated to the parents/family of an abducted child, such as a kidnapping.
The masks policy states the police department will ensure that sworn and civilian members have access to medical and non-medical masks as part of their personal protective equipment and that staff is aware of the circumstances in which they are to be used. The policy is being introduced to provide clarity on when medical and non-medical masks should be worn and to promote a secure and safe working environment and to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
According to the policy, medical masks are considered approved personal protective equipment and offer the wearer much better protection against COVID-19 than non-medical masks. Non-medical masks are not considered PPE equipment, as they offer a reduced level of protection.
“They are meant to reduce the spread of respiratory deposits by the individual wearing the mask,” states the policy. “They are meant to alleviate concerns members of the public may have when interacting with NWPD employees, and provide for a more comfortable option in lower risk situations.”
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