Prince George RCMP Supt. Eric Stubbs is leaving the city, according to a source within the Mounties.
Prince George RCMP Supt. Eric Stubbs is leaving the city, according to a source within the Mounties.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Wednesday an internal e-mail was sent out to local RCMP announcing he will be moving on to a position in Ottawa.
When reached Wednesday, city spokesperson Mike Kellett said the city could not "confirm or deny" that Stubbs was leaving his post as the head of the local detachment but is expected to issue a statement this morning.
There has been no word yet on who will take over from Stubbs, the source said.
Stubbs took over the top spot at Prince George RCMP in June 2011 following the departure of Brenda Butterworth-Carr, who was promoted to chief superintendent in charge of Canada's aboriginal policing programs after slightly more than two years in this city.
Butterworth-Carr is now the RCMP's assistant commissioner for Sakatchewan.
A month after Stubbs' arrival construction began on a new and, at 63,636 square feet significantly larger detachment on Victoria Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. Prince George RCMP officers and staff are currently scheduled to move into the $39-million building by the May long weekend.
Other high-profile stories during his tenure included an ongoing battle with Maclean's magazine, which rated Prince George Canada's Most Dangerous City three years in a row. Stubbs joined Mayor Shari Green in disputing the ranking, noting that in 2011 there were zero murders in this city compared to 86 in Toronto.
Maclean's stopped conducting the rankings last year.
Stubbs also found himself testifying at an emotionally-charged inquest into the death of Greg Matters, who was shot by an RCMP emergency response team on his family's Pineview property in September 2012.
Stubbs, who was stationed at a command post near the property, made the decision to send in the team, saying on the stand there was reason to believe Matters was about to surrender himself.
But when the team found Matters, the Canadian military veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, pulled out a hatchet. He was shot dead after an attempt to taser Matters failed.
Perhaps less well known are the crime reduction initiatives initiated under Stubbs' supervision. They included targeting prolific offenders, which has been credited with reducing petty crime, assigning an RCMP member full-time to helping victims through domestic violence cases and putting pressure on the owners of problem properties regarded as a breeding ground for criminal activity.
Prior to Prince George, Stubbs was in charge of the Terrace RCMP detachment. He also held positions in Mackenzie and Queen Charlotte City.
- with files from Charelle Evelyn
