LAC LA BICHE - Members of the Lac La Biche County Safer Municipality Advisory Committee (SMAC) are encouraging residents to play an active role in community crime prevention.
The group, made up of municipal officials, community members and area police representatives, met most recently last Monday to discuss several local issues, including plans for an upcoming town hall meeting on local crime. The town hall meeting provides an important connection between residents, police, and policymakers, says Lac La Biche RCMP Staff Sgt.Trevor Cardinal.
“If people have ideas on how they can assist and how they can help with the rate of crime in Lac La Biche, and the things that are going on…this is an opportunity for people to come out and speak, have their say…come and tell us how we’re doing…what things they’d like to see change,” Cardinal said.
A specific date for the town hall meeting has not been selected yet, but a day in November is expected to be picked soon.
Industrial crime
One of big topics at the last town hall meeting — and at recent SMAC meetings — is crime and mischief in the community’s industrial parks and commercial areas.
Cardinal said RCMP and municipal peace officers have directed a lot of focus on the issue in recent months, changing patrol schedules and intensifying their focus on specific areas.
He said community members and business owners are also playing an important role in crime prevention. The town halls and SMAC meetings give residents an opportunity to share experiences and work with police and peace officers, he said.
At these open houses, police and law enforcement officials also provide members of the public with solutions for protecting their properties. At the last town hall meeting in March, it was suggested to business owners in the industrial park that increased lighting could serve as a deterrent to crime. In recent months, municipal lighting in several industrial areas has also been increased, showing the partnerships between residents, the municipality and law enforcement, said Cardinal.
Lac La Biche County councillor John Mondal says by holding frequent meetings, issues brought forward by the public will be dealt with in a timelier fashion.
“It’s better to have it frequently…we don’t have to wait that long for someone to come up with an issue,” Mondal stated, adding by holding town halls more often, issues can be resolved before they get worse.
According to Mondal, town hall meetings not only give members of the public an opportunity to raise concerns about crime in the area, but also serve as question-and-answer sessions.
“The people have the opportunity to speak directly to the RCMP, peace officers, and know what’s going on,” he said, adding that the questions people have are answered at the meetings.
The councillor encourages all community members to get involved with local crime prevention by joining the SMAC group, attending an upcoming town hall meeting, or simply being aware of the issue.
The SMAC group meets four times a year. Town hall meetings on rural crime prevention have been held twice annually since 2016.
