(Battlefords Citizens on Patrol/Facebook)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Tackling crime

Battlefords Citizens on Patrol helps recover stolen truck

Mar 1, 2023 | 10:42 AM

The Battlefords Citizens on Patrol Program (COPP) group was successful in helping recover a stolen truck recently.

The organization reported a COPP team spotted a suspected stolen vehicle, and alerted North Battleford’s Community Safety Officers (CSOs) on Feb. 24. The truck was confirmed stolen and the recovery and investigation was immediately turned over to the RCMP.

Before leaving on their nightly patrol, five COPP teams and CSO pair were briefed by the RCMP detachment watch commander on some issues to be aware of in the community. The briefing included the description of a stolen Ford half-ton truck.

COPP members were also alerted to a social media post that included a description of it.

One of the COPP members observed the suspected stolen truck about 1.5 hours into the patrol. It was less than three hours from the time of the theft to the time of its successful recovery, thanks to the combined efforts of the COPP team and CSOs.

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Also during the patrol, COPP members and CSOs alerted several property owners of potential theft risks, such as open garage doors. They also reported a possible theft in progress and alerted police about some suspected car thieves.

“The COPP is a community-based, volunteer-run crime prevention program that acts as another set of eyes, ears and voice for law enforcement,” the organization said in its release. “Trained COPP members deter and prevent criminal activity through observing, recording and reporting suspicious activity to the local RCMP and CSOs in the Battlefords.

The COPP teams take part in vehicular patrols at any time of day or night, based on volunteers’ work and personal schedules.

“COPP is an integral part of a joint public safety plan within the communities of North Battleford and Battleford,” Battlefords RCMP detachment commander Insp. Jesse Gilbert said. “I commend those volunteers who have answered the call to try and make their communities safer through this contribution. This is a clear example of how their effort really can make a difference.”

Gilbert said, in the words of Sir Robert Peel: “The police are the public and the public are the police.”

“This is a principle that is reflected very well in this good news story – local citizens who have taken it upon themselves to become a part of that larger public safety picture,” Gilbert said.

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