Digital Challenges + Police Training Budget

  Inside this New West Spotlight Newsletter…

 🌬️ New West Weather - Wind Warning in Effect

🗓️ New West Events - Lots to choose from today

🕵️‍♂️ New West Local News - Digital Challenges + Police Training Budget

October 26, 2024 

 🃏 Hourly Hot Seat Draws – 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Casino & Match gift cards + Jerseys available to win)

 📽️ EQUUS British Columbia Film Fest – Anvil Theater (Book your tickets)

 🏪 PopUp Market With Indigenous Artisans and Makers – 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

 💀 Moody Park Mysteries III – 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

 ⛴️ Fright Night Halloween Party Cruise on the Fraser (19+) – 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

 🧛 Fangtastic Family Fun – 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

 🎃 Halloween Party @ The Cove – two time slots: 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

 🤬 A Zesty Halloween Production – Drag Show 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM

 ⛸️ Halloween Family Skate – 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

 👻 The Ghosts of New Westminster - 7:30 PM OR 9:00 PM

 🎃 Halloweekend: It’s a Stur-mergency! – 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

 🧙 Halloween Party for Tots at Rainbow Play Cafe – 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

 🦖 Dino-ween Hour at Groove Cat Books and Records! – 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

 👾 Monsters Ball Party Weekend – Starlight Casino

October 27, 2024 

 🎲 $10 "Bomb Pot" Day – Starlight Casino (Every dealer change)

 🎙️ Cindy's Art and Karaoke Cafe – 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM (Last Sunday of Each Month)

 ⚽️ Women’s Football Night – 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Halloween costumes encouraged)

 🎃 Halloweekend: It’s a Stur-mergency! – 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

 🎶 New Westminster Halloween Spooktacular Concert – 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

October 28, 2024

 🎲 Poker Tournament – Starlight Casino (All admin fees waived)

 🎙️ Stage & Screen: An Evening of Popular Music – 7:00 PM

 🎃 Halloween Festive Fun – 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM

 🖼️ Man Charged in New Westminster Child Pornography Case Amid Growing Digital Challenges

A New Westminster man faces charges for possession of child pornography in a case that highlights the growing challenges police face with the rise of AI-generated images. Christien Stringam, 45, was arrested on July 11 following a New Westminster Police Department (NWPD) investigation into online postings of explicit material depicting child abuse. The investigation, initially prompted by information from the RCMP's Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia, led to Stringam’s arrest on one count of possession of child pornography, allegedly committed in May 2023.

Following his arrest, Stringam was released under strict conditions, including a ban on unsupervised contact or communication with anyone under 18 years old. This case comes at a time when police departments across Canada are grappling with an increase in digital exploitation crimes, compounded by advancements in AI technology that make the creation and distribution of such material easier and harder to trace.

The NWPD, which currently has no dedicated investigator focused exclusively on child exploitation cases, reports that cases like these require substantial resources and collaboration with federal units. Sgt. Andrew Leaver of NWPD emphasized the widespread harm caused by the demand for such material, which perpetuates cycles of abuse that impact children, families, and entire communities. Stringam’s next court appearance is scheduled for November 6.

Read the full article here.

 👮‍♀️ BC Police Training Costs Surge, New Westminster Chief Pushes for Financial Relief

New Westminster Acting Police Chief Paul Hyland calls for provincial support to reduce financial barriers to police training at the Justice Institute of B.C., as tuition and agency costs for recruits are set to rise by nearly 30% in 2025. The cost increase impacts both recruiting candidates and municipal budgets. Hyland and the police board discussed the benefits of a provincially funded training model to improve recruitment and stabilize costs.

Click Here to read the full story.

👻 Have you seen our 🎃 Halloween 🎃 Events Special Edition? 👻

UPDATED 2024-10-24

Check it out HERE, and if you like what you see, subscribe.

If you know of an event that is not listed, drop us an email, and we’ll add it.

 [email protected]

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