After six months of looking for one, the Town of Smithers has hired a second Community Safety Officer. Carl Chad has joined the Community Services department.
Chad grew up in Smithers and has spent the majority of his life in the Bulkley Valley. He has more than 10 years of experience in the RCMP Auxiliary Program and is looking forward to contributing to the safety and well-being of the community.
The town was awarded the Northern Healthy Communities Grant to support hiring an additional Community Safety Officer to address bylaw services in the community.
This new position will provide support for community safety initiatives, bylaw enforcement, and liaise with businesses and stakeholders to identify neighbourhood and downtown strategies.
The new Community Safety Officer position will also provide needed additional capacity to the Town of Smithers Bylaw Enforcement Services concerning the increasing homeless population in the community.
When the funding was announced in December of 2023, Mayor Gladys Atrill said the Town knows there is a need for additional people power to support both the regular bylaw enforcement duties, community policing liaison, and the community safety impacts from the homeless encampment at Veterans Peace Park.
The funding for the new Community Safety Officer position has been granted for three years starting in 2024.