OLDS - Five months after the death of long-time board secretary Judy Schlichenmayer, Olds and District Rural Crime Watch Association (ORCW) board members and other volunteers are doing their best to continue with efforts to protect the community, says president Jason Leach.
Schlichenmayer passed away in September after many years on the ORCW board.
“She is sure is missed,” said Leach. “We don’t have a new secretary yet and we’ve been sharing the duties and responsibilities among the other executive members. We are still tying to get as much information out as we can.”
A non-profit organization, the ORCW works with RCMP, fish and wildlife officers, municipal peace officers and other stakeholders to protect persons and properties in the area by encouraging reporting to police and conducting information call-outs and workshops.
“It is up to the neighbours and family members to be ever-vigilant about what happens a few miles down the road,” said Leach. “Our programs are significant in developing and maintaining a safe community. These programs require a dedicated group of community-minded people in concert with local police representatives.”
The organization is currently working on an update of the call-out system, he said.
“We have phone, fax, e-mail system which we use to broadcast information warnings for concerns such as a particular vehicle prowling the rural areas, individuals passing fraudulent cheques, counterfeit currency, information on stolen property, information on missing individuals, watch-out notices for specific stolen property and more,” he said.
“We are making an impact with crime prevention. These programs require a dedicated group of community-minded people in concert with local police representatives.”
Information gathering by members is collected and passed on to RCMP for possible fan-out, he said.
“The information that is being put out has to come from law enforcement,” he said. “We recommend you call police if you see something suspicious. They the police get back to us on what they found or what they want us to put out.”
Leach says there hasn’t been a notable drop in crime in the district due to COVID, with residents and visitors encouraged to continue reporting suspicious person or activities.
“There’s still stolen vehicles and places getting broken into,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on your neighbours and lock your vehicles an equipment up.”
Marking property for identification purposes is a good way to ensure that stolen items recovered by police can be returned to its rightful owner, he said.
“It’s a good idea to make sure you have a good way to identify your vehicles and equipment, but recording serial numbers or making special marks,” he said.
The ORCW will be putting out an information newsletter this month to update members on the organization’s activities and plans, he said.
“It will be a fan-out for our membership,” he said.
An annual general meeting (AGM) is planned for the end of March, although whether it will be in-person remains to be seen, he said.
“We are looking into all options,” he said. “Depending on what the COVID restrictions are we may have to look into a virtual event this year.”
Last year’s AGM was held in Bergen at the end of March.
The organization is always looking for new members, he said.
Leach said the ORCW membership is offering its best wishes to Olds RCMP detachment commander Staff Sgt. Jim MacDonald, who recently retired from the position.
For information in ORCW, see www.oldsruralcrimewatch.ca
