REGINA — The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities is looking for more hands on deck to help with the newly introduced rural crime watch initiative, to reduce unnoticed criminal activity in remote parts of the province.
SARM put out the call for volunteers to consider joining the Saskatchewan Rural Crime Watch Association, a non-profit group aiming to reduce crime in rural areas.
SRCWA is a multi-agency initiative, supported by SARM, the Saskatchewan RCMP, Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, and the Ministry of Justice — and local crime watch members operating in their own communities.
SARM president Ray Orb said that the organization hopes to see more residents take an interest in joining the initiative, calling it the “only way we will find success” in reducing crime in many municipalities.
“RMs need these volunteers' knowledge of the land and their eyes and ears for local police when they may not be in their area,” said Orb.
The initiative is looking for volunteers in all 296 rural municipalities in Saskatchewan, to work with local crime watch groups to monitor and hopefully prevent criminal activity in under-policed areas.
Tim Brodt, president of the SRCWA, said the duties of volunteers are relatively simple: keep your eyes and ears on the lookout for suspicious activity in your area, and report it immediately.
“It’s as simple as taking a ride with a neighbor to check the land, watching for suspicious vehicles and activities while out in your yard,” said Brodt.
SARM said statistics report that areas operating a rural crime watch network tend to see a significant reduction in criminal activity, which ultimately benefits residents.
A large portion of rural Saskatchewan has a lack of law enforcement supports, due to its remote nature and a lack of resources available, said Orb.
“The risk of crime happening and going unnoticed in remote areas is a reality [landowners]
live with,” said Orb.
The SRCWA is looking for crime watch group members to help report things like equipment and grain theft, vandalism, illegal garbage dumping, trespassing, breaking and entering and even cattle rustling more often and more effectively.
Rural residents have been monitoring their own properties for these crimes for years, Orb said, and now SARM is hoping more will be willing to join together to continue doing so.
“Stepping up and representing rural Saskatchewan won’t take up a lot of your time and it’s a necessity in preventing rural crime,” said Orb.
