Officers to help stop hockey woes

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This article was published 24/10/2014 (3470 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hockey parents and spectators who can’t police themselves are going to get some help this winter.

A unique and innovative partnership between Hockey Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Police Service announced Friday will see police officers from the community relations department drop in during minor hockey games at city arenas each week of the 2014-15 season to promote good behaviour by coaches and spectators and to check on the well-being of referees and linesmen.

The program is called CHECK-ing In, which is an acronym for Creating Healthy Environments for Community Kids that is based on Hockey Winnipeg’s Respectful Hockey policy.

CHECK-ing In will begin during Hockey Winnipeg’s season-opening weekend today and Sunday.

Hockey Winnipeg president Don McIntosh said the CHECKing-In program, initiated by the WPS community relations department over the summer, will help curb the wave of inappropriate behaviour on and off the ice, such as physical and verbal abuse of officials and parents verbally abusing opposing players. Such behaviour had garnered the game unwanted headlines last season.

“We thought it was a fantastic idea,” McIntosh said. “It gives us another opportunity to educate parents, coaches and players about the requirements for respect in the game.”

Sgt. Ben Haegeman said the program, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada, will allow police to assist Hockey Winnipeg in that education process as well as providing a visual reminder to everyone that any sort of activity deemed outside Hockey Winnipeg’s Rink Behavioural Policy will not be tolerated.

Haegeman said the Winnipeg Police Service was impressed with the proactive stance being taken by Hockey Winnipeg and wanted to assist.

“They have a very robust Respect program and they know what they want to deliver, but the reality is the Winnipeg Police Service has an army and they don’t. So when it comes to delivering the message, we have capacity to deliver that message,” said Haegeman, a hockey parent himself. “We are trying to demonstrate our support for (Hockey Winnipeg) and it’s the hockey experts who are directing us. We’re going there with the purpose to promote public education with Respect in Sport and behaviour that should be demonstrated at arenas.”

“We want to guide people to good decisions.”

Each week, Hockey Winnipeg will submit to the police a list of suggested games officers could attend. There may be alerts to certain games that could be problematic. At the arenas, officers will distribute pamphlets, network with spectators and, at an appropriate stoppage in play, step out onto the ice to ensure the well-being of referees and linesmen.

“When it’s necessary, we’ll engage members of the crowd who are exhibiting behaviour contrary to Respect in Sport, whatever that might be,” Haegeman said. “We might be successful just sitting beside a person and saying nothing. They may choose to engage in a conversation with us. We’re happy to to do that.”

‘I think it’s a good idea because there’s been a lot of violence at a lot of games and this will calm things down’ — Holly Schwenzer

Hockey Winnipeg this season introduced the Respect in Sport program for parents that required at least one parent from each family to take the online program before being allowed to register a child for hockey. McIntosh said about 7,500 people took the course.

“The response has been exceptional,” McIntosh said. “People are taking ownership of some of the issues we have in minor hockey.”

At the West Kildonan Arena watching their 10-year-old son Kolden practise with the Norquay Knights, hockey parents Rick and Holly Schwenzer said they welcome a police presence in arenas.

“I think it’s a good idea because there’s been a lot of violence at a lot of games and this will calm things down,” Holly said.

“I think parents are going to receive this very well. Hockey is a fun game and it should be kept that way.”

Rick called it a “great idea” and said the police presence will “boost morale in the stands.”

“People will feel more happy and secure because they know there could be an officer in the building,” he said, noting they witnessed some abuse of officials at a tournament last season during which some parents were screaming at the ref and a coach was evicted from the arena.

“It wasn’t pretty and it takes the fun out of kids’ hockey.”

Officers will crack down if they observe consumption of alcohol in or around the arenas.

“Alcohol affects judgment, so my message to people who are using alcohol and causing some behaviour problems, they need to stop that. You can’t sit in your car and drink booze in the parking lot. If you’re causing problems, we might have to talk to you about that,” Haegeman said.

 

— with files from Adam Wazny

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca