An innovative crime-fighting program in Vancouver is sending a fugitive packing back to Saskatchewan.
This week Vancouver police arrested a 23-year-old man wanted on outstanding assault charges from Yorkton. He was one of 10 men profiled recently as part of the Vancouver Police Department's (VPD) so-called "Con Air" program, named for the 1997 movie featuring actor Nicolas Cage aboard a planeload of convicts.
The two-year-old program, which recently received $40,000 from the B.C. government, has given more than 40 fugitives wanted on outstanding warrants from another province "a one-way ticket home to face justice," according to a news release.
While VPD is tracking more than 200 people under the program, it released a poster Friday with its "Top 10" candidates, including Nelson Earl Nepinak. Wanted in Yorkton on charges of assault with a weapon, assault, mischief, theft, failure to appear in court, and break and enter, he was arrested around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday in Vancouver and arrangements are pending for his return to Saskatchewan.
Yorkton RCMP Cpl. Kristina Just said Wednesday that Nepinak isn't back yet, but that is expected to happen soon once an order remanding him in custody is issued.
"We'd definitely like to see him returned. The matters here were fairly serious," she added.
VPD launched its Con Air program in January 2008 to target criminals who were evading prosecution by fleeing the jurisdiction. In some cases, even if police enforced the warrant, the jurisdiction that issued it wouldn't pay for the accused to be returned.
Despite VPD's apparent success, the Con Air program won't be winging its way to Regina anytime soon. Regina police Chief Troy Hagen said its not on the radar here, largely because this city doesn't have a problem on the scale of Vancouver.
"We don't have the same types of transient issues associated in Regina and Saskatchewan typically as they do on the west coast. And environmental conditions are very much one of the factors."
Hagen noted the radius on a warrant and decisions about spending the money to bring someone back is up to the Justice Ministry. In serious matters, police might encourage the Crown to ensure a warrant allows for the return of a fugitive from this city.
"It comes down to dollars and sense. In a perfect world everyone would like to see everyone who committed any type of offence held to account, but decisions are made," he added.
The VPD lauds the program for returning chronic offenders, gang members and those facing other serious charges to their home province.
The federal government proposed legislation this year that would create a new offence for failing to remain within the jurisdiction of a court.
