The City of Prince George announced this week that Williams Lake RCMP Inspector Warren Brown has been hired as the new officer in charge of the Prince George RCMP.
“Having worked as a Detachment Commander in New Hazelton and Williams Lake, I am familiar with and have faced similar challenges to those which Prince George faces,” Brown said in the Prince George city press release issued Wednesday.
“I look forward to engaging with the many partners and stakeholders in the city and continuing the great work of Superintendent Eric Stubbs in crime reduction - making Prince George a safer community for everyone.”
Thursday the City of Williams Lake and Mayor Kerry Cook issued a press release congratulating Brown on his appointment.
“We at the city are very proud of Inspector Brown, and congratulate him on his new position,” Mayor Kerry Cook said in the release.
“We know the Prince George detachment will benefit from an excellent leader and relationship builder. Inspector Brown has been instrumental in helping to lead the charge in our community against crime. He recognizes that crime prevention and reduction involves everyone, and has created a community-wide network of crime reduction partners. We will miss his dedication and hard work on behalf of Williams Lake and the entire region.”
Inspector Brown, in conjunction with Community Policing, the city, and community partners, has overseen a dramatic reduction in crime in the city, including a more than 50 per cent drop in overall crime since 2008, the release said.
In the release Brown said his goals when coming to Williams Lake were to reduce crime, to make the community safer and to change the perceptions of Williams Lake as being a dangerous place to live.
In the five and a half years he has been here, Brown said he has enjoyed forging good relationships, partnerships, and friendships which he believes have enhanced the detachment’s ability to meet its vision and goals.
“I’ve been fortunate to lead and participate in a number of very good initiatives that have seen a marked reduction in crime,” Brown said.
“The men and women at the RCMP detachment, the Community Policing volunteers, auxiliary members, and many agencies and community leaders have contributed as much as I have.
“Not only has Williams Lake been professionally rewarding, but my family and myself were engaged in a great community. Although I look forward to this new challenge, it will be very difficult to leave a community that has been a very good home for us.”
The release says Brown will be leaving for Prince George in the fall and the process to select a new detachment commander will likely begin as early as next week.
The RCMP will identify qualified candidates, and will include the city in the final selection process.