A picture taken during a special town meeting in Nipawin last weekend. (Submitted/ Zac Derouin)

By Nigel Maxwell

Crime

Nipawin residents pitch plan to make community safer

Jul 29, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Frustrated by an increasing number of property crimes in their community, a group of residents in Nipawin are taking a proactive approach.

Zac Derouin is among those behind the vision for a Citizens on Patrol group. He told paNOW the goal is to get more eyes and ears on the ground, and deter those who are lurking in the shadows.

“It’s getting to the point where elderly people, and well anybody, don’t feel safe going for a walk in the community,” he said.

The initiative is still very much in the very early discussion stage, but to gauge interest, a community meeting was held last Saturday in Nipawin’s town square and roughly 50 people showed up, including representatives from the town. The local RCMP in the days following the meeting continued to receive phone calls and messages from people supporting the idea, Derouin said.

“The young offender’s act doesn’t protect the normal hard working person here. It almost seems like these criminals have more rights than me or you,” he said.

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A local RCMP officer addresses the crowd. (Submitted/ Zac Derouin)

Nipawin Mayor Rennie Harper explained council is very supportive of the idea, adding it’s been in their strategic plan for a number of years, and has also involved discussions with the local RCMP through the town’s Protective Services Committee.

“Twice now we have actually presented open houses where that’s been featured but the attendance has been lacking,” she said.

For that reason, Harper explained she was very encouraged to see the citizens take the ball this time around.

“That’s exactly what we wanted, that’s what we have been looking for. I think Citizens on Patrol is only effective when it’s grassroots and involves the people themselves,” she said.

Moving forward the next step will be an open house, and an RCMP officer who has set up similar initiatives in other communities will be invited to give a presentation.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell