Residents expressed their concerns and frustrations surrounding the ongoing crime in Kindersley during the Town Hall meeting Monday night.

Staff Sargent Ray Blais of Kindersley led the meeting which was held to allow residents to have their questions answered and voices heard regarding the policing efforts from the Kindersley, Kerrobert and Eston detachments. S/Sgt. Blais was accompanied by S/Sgt. Pat Zunti, Cpl. Travis Doering from the Kindersley detachment and Cpl. Mark Durocher of the Kerrobert detachment.

Many of the frustrations from residents stemmed from seemingly one specific area within the Town where the homeowners have witnessed multiple suspicious situations, people and have been, themselves, victims of theft. They outlined the need to have those areas patrolled more frequently during the early hours in the morning when the activity seems to be the highest.

Other concerns shared by residents included:
• Safety for children in town with the ongoing criminal activity
• Scheduling of Officers to show more police presence within the community
• How can residents protect their property without being liable if force is deemed necessary
• Reaction times to calls when residents report suspicious situations or otherwise
• Drawing in outside help to address the crime and drug issues within the area

One resident in attendance took to the mic and shared a personal account of what she feels to a main concern not only in our area, but at a provincial level, drugs and addiction. As a mother of an addict, she shared the struggle that addicts face when trying to obtain help through rehab programs. She stated there are lengthy wait times for admittance into the programs and feels that there is a disconnect within the province when assisting those facing mental health and addiction problems. She continued by saying, as a community we will not out-police these types of criminals, that they require additional help in order to see a lasting behavioral shift that doesn’t involve drugs or crime.

There was much support throughout the room with Mayor Rod Perkins thanking her for her words. He reiterated his belief for the need for rehabilitation programs for those who need them and encouraged her to express her thoughts at a Town Council meeting and welcomes any possible solutions by her or the community.

The officers conducting the meeting addressed each of the concerns of the residents, however, one common theme seemed to play throughout the meeting, we do not have enough officers. S/Sgt. Blais shared that they admittedly are short staffed, which is not a new development, and with the vast area they are required to cover, simply cannot have uniformed officers everywhere they need to be at all times.

He added that in a few of the recent thefts and break and enters were done by people who were not from the area. He highlighted one incident where they caught the criminals in the act who had supplies indicating they had intentions of repeating the offence, these criminals were from central Alberta. S/Sgt. Blais explained the level of difficulty involved in solving a crime when there is no surveillance, no one has ever seen nor will likely never see the perpetrators again. He also said however, although those instances happen, there are still crimes being committed by residents within the region that they recognize as being a problem.

S/Sgt. Blais shared stats with those in attendance showing that some situations are improving, but only marginally. He stated although the numbers have moved in the right direction, he and the other officers acknowledge there is still a great deal of improvement that could happen. Comparing January to November 2017 with the same months of our current year, they have issued 200 more tickets for traffic safety violations, they have issued less in regards to drug trafficking and possession and although thefts seemed to decline, break and enters increased slightly.

With there being no hard and fast solutions to the crime problem in Kindersley and surrounding area, the overall impression of the evening was that the police are doing the best they can with what they have available and also feel the frustrations of being understaffed given the criminal activity. Residents seemed to understand the difficulties the RCMP officers face, however, expressed the urgency for more to be done to protect themselves, their families and their property.

The meeting was the first of three, with two more being scheduled next week in Eston and Kerrobert, after which, none will likely be scheduled until spring 2019.