NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL NEWS NOW A PART OF KTW CENSUS SENTENCE/PAGE A21 • PM HARPER’S VISIT TO ISRAEL/PAGE B7 • ROB FORD’S NEW VIDEO/PAGE B8
DE K A M L O O P S
City council considers expanding butt-out zones Page A3
THURSDAY
Thursday, January 23, 2014 X Volume 27 No. 8
Kamloops, B.C., Canada X 30 cents at Newsstands
THIS WEEK
Meet Kamloops Blazer Matt Revel’s biggest fan Page A23 Thompson River Publications Partnership Ltd.
SULLIVAN: ‘It’s our job to protect adolescents from themselves’ By Dale Bass STAFF REPORTER dale@kamloopsthisweek.com
Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush and Kamloops-Thompson school district Supt. Terry Sullivan meet with media on Wednesday, Jan. 22, to discuss the investigation into the transfer of compromising photographs of teenagers by other teens in district schools. Go online to kamloopsthisweek.com to watch video from the press conference and turn to page A6 to learn more about the legal ramifications of creating and distributing so-called selfies, as explained by an associate law professor at Thompson Rivers University. Dave Eagles/KTW
POLICE PROBE TEEN PHOTO EXCHANGE By Tim Petruk STAFF REPORTER tim@kamloopsthisweek.com
Police and Kamloops-Thompson school-district officials aren’t saying much about what they deem a “complex investigation” believed to revolve around nude photos of Kamloops high-school students circulating among local youth. What is known is that a significant number of youths are involved and potential criminal infractions could range from harassment to transmitting child pornography. It is believed the incident involves nude and
partially nude selfie-style photos sent in confidence between friends and later distributed to a wider circle of students, unbeknownst to the original senders. The police investigation began last week, after a Kamloops high-school student informed a staff member at a local school about an alleged incident. “It was inappropriate behaviour taking place on social media,” Kamloops-Thompson school district Supt. Terry Sullivan told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 22. “A staff member checked into it further on Friday [Jan. 17] and we felt it was appropriate to advise the RCMP immediately.” Sullivan would not say how many students are
involved in the investigation or what schools they attend, only that it involves a “significant number” of students at multiple secondary schools in the Kamloops-Thompson school district — not only in the Tournament Capital itself. “All of the students whose names we have received, all of their parents have been contacted,” Sullivan said, noting some disciplinary measures have already been taken by school officials. RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush said the police investigation covers many potential sections of the Criminal Code, including production and distribution of child pornography, harassment and uttering threats. X See PARENTS A6
Terry Sullivan said some good, positive steps have been taken since he had to call in Kamloops RCMP to deal with a social-media issue involving several high-school students. Sullivan, superintendent of the KamloopsThompson School District, said the parents of each student involved have been contacted by the district, but noted many other parents are aware of the situation and have had discussions with their own children. “I know that in the last 24 hours, some parents have talked with their kids about their phones and social media and asked them what they’re doing with it — how do they use it?” he said. “And a lot of them said, ‘Your phone stays on the kitchen table at night. It’s not going into your bedroom.”’ Sullivan said the board is dealing with all students it has determined are involved in the situation, which he would not discuss in detail. X See POOR ONLINE A6
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