By Sarah Rae

Local group needs your input to keep N.B. safe

Jul 11, 2016 | 5:00 PM

If you have an idea about how to reduce crime in the city, now is the time to share it.

Community safety group SAGE is holding three barbecues throughout August to communicate with residents about how to make North Battleford a safer place.

Community engagement is SAGE’s guiding principal, community safety coordinator Herb Sutton said.

“This is what SAGE is all about, working with the community as opposed to developing a community safety plan without community involvement,” he said.

SAGE, which stands for safety, acceptance, guidance and empowerment, is a pilot program in coordination with the federal government. It’s based off a program that was successful in several First Nations across Canada. North Battleford started the group in February 2015 after hearing government administrators were looking to test the program in an urban area.

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Sutton said the barbecues are meant to get people together to talk about their experiences and their ideas to make safer communities. He’s also hoping the barbecues will not only get residents talking to members of SAGE, but to each other as well. He said one of the city’s plans for community safety is encouraging people to get to know their neighbours, because communities are safer when residents look after one another.

Sutton added the people involved in SAGE are community members who represent 23 different local groups and organizations.

“These are people who are really committed to the city of North Battleford,” he said. “These are all folks that have been here for a long time, they love the city and they just want to contribute to making it safer.”

After input is gathered from the barbecues, the existing community safety plan will be revised to accommodate some of the ideas. Then the plan will go back to the community for more input. Sutton said this way, the plan will really develop with the community.

The barbecues are August 13, 20 and 28 in the yard of Connaught Elementary School, outside the Boys & Girls Club and in College Heights Park, all from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sarah Rae is battlefordsNOW’s court and crime reporter. She can be reached at Sarah.Rae@jpbg.ca or tweet her @sarahjeanrae. Concerns regarding this story can be addressed to News Director Geoff Smith at 306-446-6397.