About 60 village and area residents attended an open house hosted by Olds Rural Crime Watch Association at the Cremona Gold and Silver Club on Wednesday evening.
The event saw association officials highlight the benefits of community involvement in crime prevention.
Association president Jason Leach said he was pleased with the turnout.
“We are encouraging them to report anything they see that is suspicious to the RCMP and we are encouraging them to get memberships,” said Leach. “I think with the number of people we see out here tonight and the interest, it is an indication that there are concerns out here.”
Cremona Mayor Tim Hagen says he is encouraged to see the community showing interest in crime prevention.
“I’m glad to see both rural and village people coming out,” said Hagen.
Mountain View County councillor and association member Greg Harris, a former police officer, encouraged attendees to get memberships in the association.
Displaying Rural Crime Watch signage on a property can help discourage criminals from targeting that location, he said.
“The criminal’s number 1 concern is they don’t want to be caught. When they see signs like this, they go elsewhere,” said Harris.
“This is why it is so important that you consider joining. If we can proliferate these signs in the district, it sends the message.”
The association is hosting an open house in the Water Valley community hall on July 3, and the provincial zone meeting in the county office on July 6 from 2 to 5 p.m.
“(The July 6 meeting) is a great opportunity to hear about what the provincial association and other rural crime watch associations are doing,” said association secretary-treasurer Judy Schlichenmayer.
