Nova Scotia police launch program for domestic calls involving dementia

BRIDGEWATER · A new program on Nova Scotia's South Shore aims to provide an alternative to criminal charges for domestic violence incidents involving a person with dementia. The Silver Guardian Program, launched last week by the RCMP and Bridgewater Police Service, responds to a rising number of such calls. Corporal Dominic Laflamme of Lunenburg County RCMP said the initiative connects people who feel at risk to support services before a crisis occurs. He said the goal is to find resolutions outside the courtroom for those suffering from diseases like Alzheimer's.

Laflamme said police are legally required to lay charges if an assault occurs, even when it involves someone with a degenerative brain disease. Under the new program, officers will ask Crown prosecutors not to pursue those charges. "There's times criminal charges are not the answer. This is not necessarily going to help solve the problem," Laflamme said. He attributed the increase in calls to an aging population, stating, "Based on the past and previous years, we did see an increase and we need some tools to be able to handle those [calls] because I think it's with the aging population, obviously, I don't think it's going to go away."

The program was developed after the RCMP reviewed its policies following a murder-suicide in Mahone Bay last year. The Bridgewater Police Service also noted the aging demographic in its community and sought to prepare for changing needs. Staff with the Lunenburg County Seniors Safety Program, based at Bridgewater police headquarters, applied for federal funding after observing a trend in domestic violence incidents. The resulting Silver Guardian Project is managed through the RCMP's vulnerable person unit.

Bridgewater Deputy Police Chief Danny MacPhee said his service frequently responds to calls involving people with dementia. "We do see a lot of incidents with people with dementia," MacPhee said. "We're getting called to outbursts and situations that can become dangerous." He argued that someone without the capacity to understand their situation or remember a loved one should not be sent to jail. MacPhee said officers must consider all circumstances, adding, "It's not appropriate for us to, again, push somebody through the justice system when they need care."

With files from CBC News