Many residents from across the county attended a one-day farm and rural security trade show in Cremona on April 28.
Sponsored by Mountain View County, the event featured lectures by experts on theft prevention, as well as numerous company and information booths.
Gerald Ingeveld, president of the Olds-Sundre-Didsbury Rural Crime Watch Association, says the recent rise in rural crime in the district and across rural Alberta has made landowners and others very keen to find solutions.
“The turnout tells that there is concern in the community, but it is also telling us that our municipalities are getting involved, with Mountain View County hosting this event,” said Ingeveld.
“Rural security isn’t something we would have thought about 10 years ago but now we need to. It’s all on our minds now and we are thinking about it.”
Shane Pahara from Red Deer County spoke on crime prevention through environmental design, Sandy Campbell spoke on farm-wide Wi-Fi, Samuel Pratt spoke on security gates, Dan Reimer spoke on security doors, Steve Reynolds spoke on farm security systems, Dave Birch spoke on security cameras, Kevin Derbowka spoke on insurance-loss control, and Debra deWaal spoke on safety.
More than a dozen companies and other stakeholders had booths on display.
“We have very good presenters and information from various groups,” said Ingeveld.
The Mountain View County booth had information about rural addressing and the crime prevention initiative survey.
The county will be hosting future rural crime prevention workshops in the coming months as part of an initiative to reduce thefts and make properties and residents secure.
The Olds-Sundre-Didsbury Rural Crime Watch Association works with police, municipalities and other stakeholders to prevent and report crime.
