Prince George councillor pushing for dedicated homicide investigation team in northern B.C.

APrince George city councillor wants to see a dedicated homicide unit created to service B.C.'s northern communities.

Councillor Brian Skakun is leading the charge at the municipallevel to askupper levels of government tohelp fund an integrated homicide investigation team (IHIT) that would be based in Prince George and could handle cases that happen both in the city and in surrounding smaller communities.

This, said Skakun, would free up existing police personnelto focus on other cases.

"I think it's well warranted," said Skakun, speaking Monday on CBC's Daybreak North. His comments come just days after Prince George RCMPbegan investigating the year's fourth homicide.

At a regularly scheduled Mondaynight meeting, councilwill vote to approve a letter drafted by Walter Babicz, acting city manager, and intended for the North District RCMP.

Theletter asks that local RCMPwork with the provincial and federal governments to create an IHITunit, similar to the one already in existence in the Lower Mainland,that would be responsible for homicides, suspicious deathsand high-risk missing person caseswhere foul play is suspected.

'Getting the ball rolling'

With its headquarters located in Prince George, theNorth District RCMP represents the upper two-thirdsof the province, with over 40 detachments and 1100 RCMP employees.

The letter saysthe lack of an IHITteam is putting increased constraints on police servicesrelated to administrative tasks, delays in lab forensic servicesand limited court capacity for prosecution.

"We're getting the ball rolling and we are going to see what the RCMP and the province and the feds have to say," said Skakun.

In the Lower Mainland, the cost of IHIT is financed70 per cent by the province and 30 per cent by Ottawa.

Babicz's letter asks both levels of government to work with RCMP management to develop a "fair funding formula" to establish an IHIT model in Prince George.

"If we do that together, it shouldn't cost too much," said Skakun.

According to Skakun, the idea stemmed first from a conversation withPrince George RCMP Superintendent Shaun Wright after he was invited to speak in March at a standing committee on intergovernmental resolutions meeting, of which Skakun is a member.