Christina Millington
Omineca Express
Highway of Tears placed under a microscope as the University of British Columbia and the RCMP work together to investigate the Highway of Tears and what needs to be done to make it safer.
According to RCMP reports the investigation into the disappearance of people across the North is ongoing and extensive.
The University of British Columbia was approached to conduct a study in an effort to support some of the observations made over the years that have been gathered to analyze data that can be worked with to put an end to hitching on rural highways.
Sgt. Keays of the Vanderhoof detachment is quite concerned with the current risks of hitchhiking.
“It is a concern to me the amount of people hitching on highway 16,” said Keays. “Especially our First Nations females.”
The members if the Vanderhoof detachment will be taking part in the study at UNBC in order to assist the research.
“We will be stopping and engaging hitchhikers to gather information for the study,” said Keays.
“We quite often stop and assist hitchhikers to be sure they are safe and to get an idea of where they are going.”
The study requires community cooperation to make this study meaningful and something that will arise an awareness of the crimes that have been occurring in regards to the hitchhikers being victimized in their travels.
“We really need to engage our youth and aboriginal people in regards to the risks that come with hitchhiking,” said Keays.
The RCMP detachment has been engaged to instill the importance of this study and the information gleaned in order to have the information and research necessary to go forward.