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Jesse GIlbert spoke about what lies ahead for the Battlefords RCMP. (File Photo/battlefordsNOW staff)
Looking ahead

RCMP’s Gilbert looks to 2024

Dec 30, 2023 | 12:00 PM

As the new year fast approaches, the RCMP have a busy 2024 ahead of them – including more proactive initiatives – one of which may be a provincial first.

“We do actually have a couple things being developed right now, expected to launch in 2024 and then a lot of that’s building on that momentum that we built in the last year,” Jesse Gilbert, the Battlefords commander for RCMP detachment said, noting he can’t speak to specifics just yet.

The commander said the new year will bring newfound and expanded community-building strategies.

“There’s been really good community engagement, we’ve got some great participation with the interagency committees, and we had some really good meetings with the city that was hosting for the community safety and wellness plan,” he said.

“My hope is that based on momentum that has picked up over 2023, that we actually continue that into 2024, that it doesn’t stagnate and that we can actually move a lot of initiatives forward.”

Not all the plans currently in development have to do directly with the RCMP. Some, Gilbert said, will be focused on issues that include mental health and addictions and the detachment will work to support them in any way they can.

He said while the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) gets a lot of attention, the Battlefords have an active community engagement including everyone from Citizens on Patrol (COPP), the local health agencies and the volunteer agencies.

“There’s a lot of good things here in the community and I just hope people keep sight of those.”

julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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