Credit: Mel Rothenburger

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: We need to stop stigmatizing the North Shore in crime reports

Aug 5, 2020 | 4:39 AM

KAMLOOPS — I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES it has to be said before we stop stigmatizing the North Shore as the crime centre of the city.

Case in point. There was a home invasion a few days ago on the North Shore. There was a stabbing somewhere else.

How do we know this? The media told us so, but it started with the RCMP. A news release issued by police Saturday was titled “Home invasion on the North Shore.” It was about an incident on Comox Avenue.

A second news release the same day, about a different incident, was titled “Kamloops RCMP investigate murder.” It referred to the location as “Clarke Street in Kamloops.”

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The media followed the RCMP’s lead. One outlet reported a home invasion “on the City’s North Shore” and a fatal stabbing “in Kamloops.”

Another headlined the stories “Man stabbed to death in Kamloops” and “One arrest following early morning home invasion in North Kamloops.”

You see the problem? When a crime occurs on one side of the bridge, it happens on “the North Shore” or in “North Kamloops.” On the other side, it happens “in Kamloops.”

Kamloops and North Kamloops amalgamated in 1967 — when will they be considered as one?

The issue has been going on for years when it comes to reporting crime. The South Shore is seldom identified. It’s just part of Kamloops. The North Shore, or North Kamloops, on the other hand, is burned into our brains as requiring mention.

It’s stigmatizing and it’s not fair. What would be fair would be to identify neighbourhoods, such as McDonald Park, or Batchelor Hills, or McIntosh Heights or Dallas, with consistency.

Constantly referencing the North Shore in connection with crime stereotypes the largest population centre in Kamloops.

Words are much under scrutiny these days. So let’s start treating the North Shore as an equal part of town in the way we talk.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.