RCMP seeks to engage more with community
The RCMP recently held a Town Hall meeting in Moose Jaw to emphasize their goal of deepening engagement with the local community. Speaking at the Legion on Monday, April 9, Sergeant Tim Schwartz, Detachment Commander at the RCMP, says the town hall meeting is one of the steps the RCMP is taking in widening engagement with the community. Highlighting rural crime statistics, Sgt. Schwartz says it has become even more crucial for community engagement, as this will help in preventing and solving crimes. “Rural crime has been a concern provincial-wide here in Saskatchewan and what we want to do is to engage our communities. Part of my task as detachment commander is that I engage our RM Councils, Town Councils, Mayors and councillors throughout the year to establish priorities and initiatives,” Sgt. Schwartz said. “Sometimes we’re not able to reach out directly to community members so by having a meeting like this, we’re able to hear their concerns. We want to engage the community and allow them to understand the expectations of the police and their expectations especially as land and home owners. We engage them in what they can do to protect their communities and if they are victims of crime, they can know that they can phone us and expect that we are there to resolve their issues by working together.” He noted that in order to stem rural crimes, the police and the community must work together. “The other idea is also to rally the communities to work as a team so that if there is suspicious activity, they can maybe try to flush out the problem or they can be the ears and eyes for the police so that we can engage or be pointed in the right direction and follow up with the victims.” He added that even though this is the first meeting, the RCMP will engage more during the year as well as with other communities. “This meeting is the first for the year but we will be having a follow up meeting in the fall. We will also be reaching out to other communities, not only Moose Jaw, to engage more, as well. This will allow us to engage with even more people and expand our meetings with these open sessions where people can come in and talk about some of their concerns and how we can better work together.” “From an RCMP perspective, there is an expectation that our detachments be engaged in and with the community. That means consulting with residents and community leaders (as we are doing today at this Town Hall) to establish policing priorities and assisting with public safety issues. We are committed to having regular communication with community leaders, provide reports and updates, be involved in community activities and events when possible, and through these and numerous other means, develop positive trusting relationships with the community,” he continued. “We need engaged, involved citizens contributing to community safety just as we need engaged involved police officers. Rural Crime Watch is a great example of engagement from the community and what’s possible when people come together with a common goal of reporting suspicious activity and reducing crime in their area. Policing is only one aspect of community safety. We all need to work together on both the prevention side and the enforcement side.” He outlined that persons can become more involved by: • getting involved within your community and your police service • helping to organize a local Rural Crime Watch or Citizens on Patrol Program • meeting with your local police service/ detachment commander—advise them of your concerns and help establish those community safety priorities. He also outlined ways in which community members can protect their properties. “We cannot emphasize enough that people need to do everything within reason to secure their property and protect themselves. Some of the ways persons can protect their properties are to: safeguard valuables, outbuildings, fuel tanks; remove keys from vehicles; photograph valuables and record serial numbers; have video cameras / trail cameras at non-occupied farmyards; post signs that say you’re on camera – prevention; stay observant; watch out for your property and your neighbors’; report crime and other suspicious activity to the police; do not attempt to subdue or pursue suspects. The RCMP’s detachment local number is 306-691-4670, or 310-RCMP (7267). These numbers get you immediately to detachment in Regina that will link you with Police Services in Moose Jaw.
“Policing is only one aspect of community safety. We all need to work together on both the prevention side and the enforcement side.” RCMP Detachment commander, Sergeant Tim Schwartz