Williams Lake safer communities co-ordinator Dave Dickson proudly told city council the community provided more than 2,500 volunteer hours for a variety of programs in 2011.
In restorative justice alone, the community clocked more than 1,000 hours on 47 cases.
“It’s a great program and a flagship for the province. We’re relied on and referred to. We have eight fully-trained trainers that go around the province,” he said.
Crimestoppers, also very successful this year, garnered 49 tips, mostly around grow-ops and criminal activity.
Last year, Dickson initiated Realty Watch, where he works with realtors in town to quickly relay e-mails.
“It’s a very quick tool, especially with missing children, because the realtors are in the community and are very community minded,” Dickson explained, adding in addition, he’s in the process of partnering with the Northern Realty Team, which will mean in excess of 200 real estate agents from communities between Prince Rupert along Highway 16 to Prince George and south to Williams Lake will participate.
In addition to the success of Operation Red Nose, Block Watch, Rural Crime Watch, Business Watch, and Mounted Citizens on Patrol have also made great strides.
“They put in over 520 hours patrolling,” Dickson said of the horse patrol. “They’re amazing. They are the ears and eyes for the detachment and will go where police cars shouldn’t go.”
Business Watch started up last year, partnering with businesses to share information on “scams and scoundrels,” and has 100 people on board now.
In the future, it’s hoped that Speed Watch will be up and running again, and there have been meetings around violence awareness and prevention, to create tactics and strategies for next year.