SUNDRE – Seeking feedback from the public is part of every RCMP department’s effort to re-evaluate the detachment’s community policing priorities.
That’s a process the Sundre RCMP detachment’s commander is currently undertaking.
“Community engagement is one of our priorities that we’re pushing; we’re trying to engage with the community more in different levels,” said Sgt. Trent Sperlie.
“And part of that involves engaging with the public to help develop our fiscal year priorities,” said Sperlie.
The detachment conducts an annual assessment on the number and types of files logged, including details such as locations of incidents and the kinds of crime responded to, and based on that foundation of information will “develop some priorities for the year so that we can focus on the important issues within the community,” he said.
“And in developing those (priorities), I just want to get the community input to see what their beliefs are in what the issues are in the community so I can incorporate that into the development of our priorities,” he said.
To that end, the sergeant invites anyone who is so inclined to consider taking a few moments to respond to a survey.
Respondents will be asked what they consider to be priorities on a number of law enforcement matters including provincial traffic code violations for speeding and seatbelts as well as criminal code matters for more serious infractions such as impaired or dangerous driving, theft offences, drug trafficking, livestock thefts, frauds, as well as an “other” category that leaves open the option for a respondent to fill out a customizable answer.
Those who choose to fill out the survey will also be asked to rank the importance of certain activities including whether the department should use social media to engage the public as well as the use of check stops, increased visibility of members in the back country, patrols on all-terrain vehicles and boats, and RCMP public engagement opportunities through for example either the town office or local schools.
“And on top of that survey, we’re going to be holding a couple of town halls within the Sundre detachment area,” said Sperlie.
“We will present some statistics on the crime trends in the area and then it will be an open floor to discuss the issues that the community has and ways that we can come up with to tackle those issues,” he said.
Two of those sessions are coming up on Monday, March 18 from 7 - 9 p.m. at the James River Community Centre with another the following day on Tuesday, March 19 running for the same time period at the Harmattan Community Hall. The town hall in Harmattan will also include the presence of the both the Olds and Didsbury RCMP detachments’ commanders, he said.
A third town hall takes place Thursday, March 21 from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #223 in Sundre.
Some members of the public might be interested in offering their feedback but are perhaps reluctant to attend a public function and would prefer to privately submit input, he said.
“The survey kind of gives them an outlet to do that,” he said, adding it will remain available online until March 25.
