By Roger White

RCMP Crime Prevention Strategy taking shape

Jan 9, 2018 | 9:43 AM

In an effort to go beyond the crime headlines, battlefordsNOW is taking a look at some of the initiatives that are ongoing in the community to reduce crime. The first part of our series is to introduce or readers to a newly-formed Crime Prevention unit in the Battlefords RCMP.

Crime is a topic that is at the forefront of the community recently, with several weeks of violence and shootings.

A Statistics Canada report from July indicated the violent crime index for the city rose in 2016 by 15 per cent and Maclean’s magazine called North Battleford “Canada’s Most Dangerous City.” In an effort to change the facts on the ground, Insp. John Sutherland and the Battlefords RCMP, created a new Crime Prevention Victim Service (CP/VS) unit within the detachment. The new unit is responsible for the creation and implementation of Crime Prevention Planning for the detachment.

“The unit recognizes that crime prevention needs to be a community effort not left to the police alone,” Cpl. James Fenrich said. “We need to work with other agencies on the federal, provincial, and local levels to build a safer community.”

The CP/VS unit consists of two regular members of the detachment plus the newly created half-time Community Program Co-ordinator position. Although the unit was created several months ago, many of the strategies are starting to come into play in the community and are ongoing.

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Cpl. Fenrich said the unit has identified three long-term goals that need to be addressed in the Battlefords.

“The big three that needs to be addressed are the prevention of crime, the prevention and reduction of victimization while increasing community wellness, and improved efficiencies in the co-ordination of crime prevention and reduction,” Fenrich added. “We have to look at the priorities between the RCMP and community, see what overlaps and see where we can strengthen these priorities.”

Over the course of the next few weeks battlefordsNOW will  have a comprehensive look at the new Crime Prevention Victim Services Strategy, with interviews from the major players involved in the strategy and who it will affect.

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @RJWtheReporter