(Battlefords Citizens on Patrol/Facebook)

By Angela Brown

Making an impact

Citizens on Patrol Program showing positive numbers

Mar 29, 2023 | 1:54 PM

The Battlefords Citizens on Patrol Program (COPP) volunteer group continues to make an impact in the community.

The group takes part in vehicular patrols in the Battlefords, looking for suspicious activity in an effort to prevent crime. If the members see anything of concern, they report it to the RCMP and do not intervene personally. The patrols are completed safely within vehicles and can also be targeted, as directed by the RCMP and Community Safety Officers (CSOs).

In its submitted report to City of North Battleford council this week, the group stated they are now 20 patrollers strong, a big shift from a year ago when the organization put out an urgent call for more participants. Since the third quarter of 2022, they have seen a 67 per cent increase.

City public relations coordinator Candace Toma presented the first quarter report from the organization, highlighting the latest stats.

From January to March of this year, the COPP reported they patrolled 834 kilometers, covering 4,766 blocks in the community;

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The Outdoor Security Camera Registry now has a total of 96 cameras registered. From that number, 90 are in the city. This is a 24 per cent increase since the 4th Quarter of 2022.

The COPP members spotted a stolen truck during a targeted patrol February 24. They informed the RCMP, leading to the successful recovery of the vehicle. Five COPP volunteers’ vehicles were out on patrol that evening.

“There was considerable effort there,” Toma said.

COPP members are now participating in ride-alongs with CSOs to gain a better understanding of the CSOs’ roles and challenges.

Coming up, the COPP group plans to take part in joint patrols with CSOs on March 31 and April 21 in the Battlefords.

North Battleford Mayor David Gillan, who is also a COPP volunteer himself, appreciated the latest report. He was glad to find the group is doing so well helping prevent crime in the community.

“It’s exciting. It’s always great to see this organization growing, ever forward,” he said. “I look forward to more growth— of volunteers, of security cameras registered, and initiatives with the RCMP and the CSOs, and the success stories. This is the deterring side of our issues with safety in the community. It’s excellent.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow