The Insurance Bureau of Canada has received an award for excellence in helping to develop a network linking the insurance industry and law enforcement to combat auto theft.
The New Brunswick Crime Prevention Association's Business Excellence Award was given to the IBC for its development of the New Brunswick Provincial Auto Theft Network (NB PATNET).
“IBC is honoured to receive this award,” said IBC’s vice president, Atlantic Amanda Dean. “PATNET is an important tool that has successfully helped law enforcement officials reduce auto theft and fraud in the Atlantic region. And it has great potential to reduce crime in other parts of the country. In fact, our plan is to launch this network nationally.”
IBC co-founded PATNET in 2010 to build partnerships between the property and casualty insurance industry and law enforcement agencies in order to combat auto theft. The network links police officers across the province and IBC's auto theft and fraud investigators through ongoing training programs such as the popular Red Flags at the Roadside seminars and regular communication and information sharing.
“Without the investment of IBC and the commitment of Guy Ouellette, PATNET would not be in existence,” said Linda Patterson, chair of the New Brunswick Crime Prevention Association. “We thank you for your continued support of crime prevention initiatives in our province.” (Continued on Page 2)
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The award recognizes organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to crime prevention in their communities.
“NB PATNET is a local solution for breaking down the communication barriers between our law enforcement community,” said Guy Ouellette, auto theft investigator with Atlantic, IBC. “The sharing of information has never been better in my 36 years investigating stolen vehicles. NB PATNET works and will serve as the model for other jurisdictions.”
PATNET expanded into Nova Scotia in September, providing initial training seminars to 40 law enforcement officers from across that province. PATNET will expand into Prince Edward Island and across the rest of the country in the near future.
PATNET's success stories include investigations in both Ontario and Quebec that resulted in the recovery of commercial cargo loads that had been stolen in New Brunswick. These successes demonstrate the need for continued knowledge sharing and partnerships between insurers and the law enforcement community.
