The Grande Prairie RCMP detachment (EverythingGP file photo)

By Liam Verster

Grande Prairie Initiative

RCMP’s Special Investigative Unit responds to 171 domestic, sexual violence calls since September

May 6, 2021 | 1:06 PM

Grande Prairie RCMP launched its Special Investigative Unit (SIU) on September 20, 2020. The SIU is tasked with reviewing all domestic violence and sexual assault cases in the region, with a focus on leading the investigations in cases involving penetrative assaults or that are deemed high-risk.

Those high-risk cases can involve aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, and penetrative sexual assault of an adult.

Corporal Courtney McCarron, Sexual Assault Review Coordinator for Alberta RCMP, says the SIU has been the primary investigator for 171 of those cases since its inception, 156 of which were located in the City of Grande Prairie, while the other 15 happened in the County.

“Of those 171, they can be broken down as follows: 93 were sexually based crimes, 79 with children victims and 23 with adult victims; 54 were classified as high-risk intimate partner violence occurrences, so they included assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, strangulation, firearm offences, aggravated assault, and high-risk offenders; and nine included both intimate partner violence and sexual offences,” says McCarron.

On top of those cases, the SIU provides assistance in investigations involving all other forms of sexual offences that occur in the region.

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The SIU is a first-of-its-kind unit. It was launched by the Grande Prairie RCMP because there is a need to address these crimes in the region.

“Grande Prairie has one of the more higher rates for sexual violence in the province. It goes between Grande Prairie and Red Deer for fairly high, and then the Parkland County area would be third for their rates of reports,” adds McCarron.

The unit is comprised of one corporal and five constables and reports to the General Investigation Operation’s Sergeant. All RCMP members have taken two trauma-informed courses, but the plain-clothes officers in the SIU have more training and experience in dealing with these sorts of crimes.

McCarron says that allows them to be more accessible for approachable for victims who come forward.

She adds that other jurisdictions are now looking into forming their own versions of these units to help address those crimes elsewhere in the province.

“It’s certainly shown its value and certainly shown that we need to have specifically trained investigators that understand the complexity of a sexual assault case and how to work through the various steps that need to be taken.”

She adds having this unit also helps de-stigmatize talking about sexual assault and allows victims to feel more comfortable coming forward and making official reports and seeking support.

On top of this, McCarron says there are a lot of great resources for victims and survivors of sexual assault to access in Grande Prairie, including:

• Victim Services – 780-830-5755
• PACE – 780-539-6692
• Caribou Centre – 780-814-7223
• Grande Prairie RCMP – 780-830-5701