The Central Interior Native Health Centre has made a small concession over its decision to ask its clients if they are being "harassed" by the police in downtown Prince George.
An image of a cartoonish police character slapping a baton in his hand - part of a poster posing the question of harassment - has been replaced by a police badge.
The poster continues to pose the question to clients if they have been harassed by the police, who are asked to share or explain that experience to the staff at the health centre. The poster, in place for about one month, hangs in the foyer of the native health centre located on George Street in the heart of downtown.
The poster had drawn concern from the RCMP, which earlier this year introduced a six-officer downtown enforcement unit, a recommendation from the mayor's task force on downtown improvement delivered at the end of 2009.
Central Interior Native Health Centre executive director Murry Krause said Tuesday he simply wants to see people who have concerns talk to staff at the health centre, but that the character of the police officer was not necessary to do that.
The decision to ask clients if they had been harassed by the police is a result of a perception that some downtown people feel that they are being harassed since the introduction of the new downtown police unit, Krause said earlier.
Despite the difference of opinion over the poster, the RCMP and native health centre say they continue to communicate.
There has been one meeting between the RCMP and social service providers and another is being planned. Recently, the RCMP were invited to a potlatch at the drop-in centre, Fire Pit, downtown.
The groups are trying to arrange another meeting.
RCMP Cpl. Kent MacNeill said they are trying to arrange another meeting as early as this month.
Since the police downtown enforcement unit has taken to the streets incidents downtown have dropped significantly, according to the RCMP. The RCMP introduced a zero-tolerance policy for all illegal activities, including drinking in public and creating a disturbance. The police are also cracking down on drugs and gang activity.
MacNeill has said that the increased police vigilance is being mistaken in some quarters for harassment, in part, because some people had been getting away with illegal activities downtown.
As the weather has chilled, there been less interactions between police and street people as there are simply fewer of them on the streets, noted MacNeill.
Krause also said that he had received no complaints recently.
Northern Health, which provides funding to the native health centre, was aware of the issue, but said they are not interested in telling organizations they fund how to run their businesses.
Michael McMillan, Northern Health's chief operating officer for the Northern Interior region, said organizations are funded purely on a set of outcomes they can deliver, which include items such as the number of clients seen and services provided.
McMillan said they would address a complaint if they received one, but they haven't received any.
