More than 100 members of the so-called “freedom convoy” were arrested Feb. 18 as police moved in on protesters in what acting police chief Steve Bell said was a “methodical” approach to ending the three-week downtown blockade. There was occasional aggressive pushback and police reported that some protesters tried to grab officers’ firearms. [node:read-more:link]
With some studies suggesting that as many as half of civilian first responders such as firefighters and paramedics suffer from psychological trauma linked to their jobs, Wounded Warriors Canada is collaborating with First Responder Health Services in B.C. on a new digital mental health platform. The partnership is taking its training Canada-wide. [node:read-more:link]
During months of unending turmoil after their April coup d'état, Myanmar security forces have killed more than 900 people, including shooting protesters and detaining thousands. An already fragile health care system has collapsed and now physicians and other health care providers have become targets. [node:read-more:link]
U.S. Capitol Police have confirmed that one of its officers has died from injuries sustained as President Donald Trump's supporters stormed Congress Jan. 6. It brought to five the number of deaths attributed to the riot; one protestor was evidently shot during the breach on Capitol Hill while three other demonstrators suffered unspecified “medical emergencies.” [node:read-more:link]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has weighed in on complaints that RCMP policy requiring front-line officers to wear tight-fitting medical grade face masks discriminates against personnel who don’t shave their beards for cultural reasons. “The presence of diverse Canadians in our police force and all our systems of authority is something extremely important for all Canadians and it is something that I certainly hope the RCMP rectifies quickly,” he said. [node:read-more:link]
What does Defunding really mean? The global movement has both merits and challenges. Generally speaking, the demands are broad, but one statement comes through loud and clear: there has to be a re-imagining of public safety and the police role within it. Let's deconstruct the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. [node:read-more:link]
Traditional leadership is simply not enough to deal with the complexity we face today. Leaders need a better understanding of complex systems and the gaps in our responses to high-impact events. [node:read-more:link]
Since May 25th, thousands of people of all ethnicities have taken to the streets in multiple cities around the world, as a groundswell movement for real and equal justice for all people began to take hold. Will 2020 finally be the year in which listening turns to hearing, and then to action? Change has indeed begun. Hopefully our leaders will embrace and assist this grassroots progress, but if not, to borrow from General Mattis, we can still do it together. What will you do? [node:read-more:link]
An Ottawa nurse has tested positive for the novel coronavirus just a few days after having received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As one of Ottawa’s front-line health-care workers, he had received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Dec 18th and second dose exactly three weeks later, on Jan 8th. [node:read-more:link]
The American Red Cross has created this Disaster and Safety Library to assist you in preparing your home, school and workplace in the event of a disaster or emergency. Here you will find fact sheets, preparedness checklists, recovery guides and other helpful information to keep you informed and safe. [node:read-more:link]
A New Brunswick man who killed two police officers and two civilians in Fredericton in August 2018 has been found not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder. The 11-member’s jury’s decision was reached after several days of deliberation. Matthew Raymond’s defence counsel has said the admitted shooter would be institutionalized indefinitely and subject to regular assessments. [node:read-more:link]
Toronto Police Service Trainers examine at recent protests from a best practices and crowd management perspective. Updated and consistent training is one part of the solution to change response tactics from aggressive escalation to serving the public right to peaceful protest. [node:read-more:link]
The Government of Canada is committed to enhance compensation benefits for public safety officers who are permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told a public safety officer roundtable. This includes the creation of a public safety officers compensation benefit for firefighters, police officers and paramedics. [node:read-more:link]
Pat Finnigan, Member of Parliament for Miramichi-Grand Lake, on behalf of the Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced $753,000 in federal funding to the Miramichi Ground Search and Rescue and the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization of the Department of Justice and Public Safety under the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund. [node:read-more:link]
Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure and Frequentis have been selected to supply mission-critical technologies for the “ELKOS Austria” project, a nationwide, unified command and communication system. The companies will also support the refurbishment of the current control and command system at the warning centre in Lower Austria. [node:read-more:link]
