On February 28th, 2025, Central Vancouver Island Crime Stoppers, which has recently expanded their boundaries to include RCMP detachments from Tofino to Mill Bay, stopped by the Shawnigan Lake and Lake Cowichan detachments. This visit was partially to meet the members and staff to let them know who we are but secondly to hand them 25 Trauma Bears. These ‘Bears’ were part of over 700 paid for from donations to Crime Stoppers. While a majority stayed in the Nanaimo detachment, our members have been dropping off these bears to the remaining smaller detachments.
At the Shawnigan Lake Detachment, Sgt. Colin Cook, the Detachment Commander provided the reasons they are important. “These bears are essential for our frontline members when they are dealing with children who have been exposed to traumatic incidents. Whether at a critical incident or following up on a difficult matter, gifting these bears to children provides a much needed level of comfort to them. The bears also work to our benefit by humanizing our officers in situations where we could be could otherwise be seen only as “officious”. The bears can help us bridge communication gaps with children in all matters of difficult situations.”
In the above photo, Sgt. Colin Cook, Detachment Commander, RCMP and Brian Cornborough, President of Central Vancouver Island Crime Stoppers hold two of the 25 Trauma Bears donated to the detachment.
Our second stop was at the Lake Cowichan RCMP Detachment. In an interview, Sgt. Lita Watson, Detachment Commander, stated “stuffed animals can provide a sense of comfort for children experiencing difficult times. Having these bears readily available in the police cars is an important tool in engaging with children during traumatic events.”
In the above photo, Cst. Andrew Burn of the Lake Cowichan RCMP Detachment and Brian Cornborough, President of Central Vancouver Island Crime Stoppers hold some of the 25 Trauma Bears donated to the detachment.
Central Vancouver Island Crime Stoppers is an association encompassing a population of approximately 300, 000 persons (2021) with 11 municipalities and large rural areas. Central Vancouver Island Crime Stoppers supports initiatives which over time help to reduce crime in our communities. By educating youth at a time when they are vulnerable, this program will help us achieve that goal. From money raised and donations, Central Vancouver Island Crime Stoppers is able to fund a variety of grant applications from Tofino to Lake Cowichan.
We encourage persons who witness a criminal activity in progress to call police at 911 or wanting to anonymously report such activity to call 1.800/222.8477 or online at www.cvicrimestoppers.com.