The Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network is expanding to include central and northern Saskatchewan, including Lloydminster and the Battlefords.
The network allows RCMP detachment commanders to send text messages, emails or phone calls to residents with information about criminal activity in their area. Residents can then contact the police with tips related to the advisory.
The Government of Saskatchewan is providing approximately $50,000 for the RCMP to operate the Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network. Battlefords MLA Herb Cox believes it will create more effective communication between the RCMP and communities.
“People are the eyes and ears of a community. Every new person who signs up for the program boosts the reach of the network, allowing the RCMP to more effectively communicate with rural residents about crime in their area,” says Cox.
The crime watch network was initially launched in March in southern Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan Government says that since then, people across the province have expressed interest in the program. Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer Assistant Commissioner Mark Fisher says the network will work alongside existing methods of preventing crime.
“This now wide-reaching network, coupled with our existing crime prevention programs and strategies, has created an environment where we are all able to contribute to community safety,” says Fisher. Residents of Saskatchewan can visit www.saskcrimewatch.ca to sign up for the network.