Williams Lake is among four communities in the province that has received an additional full-time sheriff. The new sheriff began work on Sept. 4, comes with previous law enforcement training, and means there are five sheriffs serving the court house in Williams Lake.
Prince George, Nelson and Terrace also have an additional full-time sheriff, while the Lower Mainland will obtain nine auxiliary sheriffs.
Thirteen new deputy sheriffs have been added to the ranks of the B.C. Sheriff Service, helping to fulfill government’s commitment to strengthen the court system, announced Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond in a press release Saturday.
Over the past two years, B.C.’s sheriff service has grown by 15 per cent, increasing the number of sheriffs serving British Columbians from 465 to 533. The addition of 13 new deputy sheriffs brings the total to 36 hired this year.
The deputy sheriffs graduated last month from the sheriff academy at the Justice Institute of BC (JIBC) in New Westminster, where they received extensive training for their role in the safe and orderly operation of court proceedings.
Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs work in 45 courthouses and 44 circuit courts in communities throughout the province. Their main responsibilities include providing prisoner escorts between courthouses, correctional centres and police lock-up facilities. They help provide courthouse and courtroom security, including the management of courthouse lock-up facilities, help with jury management and providing protection services to government, as well as threat assessment to ministries.