Williams Lake council want GPS trackers for career criminals

Williams Lake city council is askingthe province again to help it crack down on prolific offenders by using GPStrackers.

In 2016, the city proposed that repeatcriminalsbe injected with GPS tracking devices, but that high-tech idea didn't get support from Victoria.

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Now, council has sent an open letter to Attorney General David Eby, Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth and all the provincial court judges in the province. In it, they ask for increased provincial support of the electronic monitoring program.

The request comes after the RCMP caught thieves looting emptyhomes during the 2017wildfire evacuation of the city.

"The community was just upset, like stunned, that while everybody was already under pressure and under stress from being evacuated, these thieves were basically running aroundhaving a heyday," said Coun.Scott Nelson.

'We're fed up'

Residents were particularlyfrustrated once they foundout those thieves had been released on bail.

"That's it. We're fed up," said Nelson.

"We felt the best way to keep track of these guys is with GPS trackers. They have to wear them 24/7....It isolates where they are in real time," said Nelson.

In the past, the province has considered increasing the useof GPStracking devices. In 2014, the province commissioned a report looking into electronic monitoring in the province.Correctional Service of Canada has also looked at the use of tracking bracelets for prolific offenders.

Nelson says the community hasalready done all it can to reduce crime includingputtingmore money in the police budget and supportingprograms aimed at offenders.

"At some point in our lives we have to turn around and say, 'There are some people out there that just don't care about our community as much as we care about it.' We need to do the next best thing and that's protect our community."

Nelson says he hopes the city can move on the plan to bring in tracking devices in the next two months.

Williams Lake council is awaiting a response from the provincial government.

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