By Thia James

Engaging seniors in crime prevention

Aug 13, 2013 | 6:25 AM

A former city councillor is presenting Prince Albert’s Board of Police Commissioners with a new way to tackle crime – a corps of crime prevention volunteers.

Rod Thomson spoke to council during Monday evening’s meeting, after forwarding the council correspondence and informational materials about the crime prevention program in the suburban community of Tsawwassen, in British Columbia, located near Delta.

In his letter to council, he noted the basic function of the organization is to prevent crime, but the volunteers also speak to students, and take part in weekend community patrols in cars.

“Apparently the service that is provided takes a load of the regular duties of the police force and allows them more time related to active crime problems. The volunteers did state that their presence is used extensively and that there is a considerable savings to the police budget,” he wrote.

On Monday, he further emphasized the potential for engaging the city’s seniors in such a program.

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“When we look around our own community here in Prince Albert, I can draw your attention to some people who are underutilized within our community and who go out there and they donate a tremendous amount of their time to their community,” he said.

He named a number of prominent older residents who have contributed heavily to the community in Prince Albert. He noted that Tsawwassen has no difficulty finding volunteers for its crime prevention program and said he doesn’t think there’d be any difficulties finding volunteers here in Prince Albert.

“There are a great many people who want to do things with their lives, who have to do things with their lives, in order to maintain their social integrity, their good health, both physically and mentally,” Thomson said.

Prince Albert’s city council approved referring Thomson’s correspondence and information package about the program to the Board of Police Commissioners for review.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames