Community safety and risk assessment in youth was the primary focus at a Lloyd Ex gathering last week.
The Lloydminster Violence-Threat Risk-Assessment Community Protocol received an update thanks to signatures from community partners on Sept. 16..
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“The first person we are responsible for is the community itself. Let’s treat our community as our number one client,”
Pat Rivard -Canadian director of operations for the Centre of Trauma-Informed Practices in North America
The event featured workshops led by Pat Rivard, Canadian director of operations for the Centre of Trauma-Informed Practices in North America. The workshops trained multidisciplinary professionals to identify risk and threat-making behaviour before incidents occur.
According to Rivard, the training focused on helping professionals recognize risks and concerning behaviours before they escalate. He stressed the work is preventative in nature.
“If I’m a parent or citizen of your community, I’m comforted by the dedication of these professionals to make (it) a safer place,” he said.
An updated commitment
The event marked a reboot of Lloydminster’s threat assessment protocol, last updated in 2013, ensuring consistent processes across multiple agencies.
Stacey Klisowsky, superintendent of student services for the Lloydminster Public School Division, stressed the division’s goal of creating a unified approach to student and community safety.
“We are all here to support our kids and our community. We want to work together to think smarter and harder, to support what kids need to feel safe and secure,” said Klisowsky.
Multiple organizations, including the Lloydminster RCMP and City of Lloydminster officials, participated in the day’s activities. The agreement highlights a broad, community-wide commitment to safety.
Glenda Kary, director of education for the Lloydminster Catholic School Division, emphasized the significance of the collaboration.
“One thing I’ll take away from today is the increased number of community partners that signed on to this protocol and the commitment everyone has made to ensuring we have a process to keep our community safe,” said Kary. “It’s been my passion to get this protocol signed.”
The anti-violence treaty signing reflects growing efforts to ensure a safer environment for youth. It proactively addresses potential threats and fosters a cooperative approach across all local agencies.
Rivard said the collective effort demonstrates Lloydminster is “in a good place right now” in terms of community safety.
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