Rural Crime Watch: Extra eyes and ears for local law enforcement

By Jamie Rieger

Rural Crime Watch associations are often the eyes and ears for local law enforcement agencies and one Bow Island/Foremost RCMP member is working on establishing an association in the County of Forty Mile.
Cst. Jarom Leafloor said the process has been rolling for a few months with him gathering information about the ins and outs of rural crime watch associations.
Leafloor is also working at forming a network of like-minded rural residents who want to see a reduction in rural crime.
“This would be a network of people who we can get information to and who can help us with tips. They will have access to information about things like how to protect themselves and if there are a bunch of thefts happening in a certain area, for example, we can get that information out to our members,” said Leafloor. “We are pooling people together who want to prevent crime. ”
He is also looking for members who would be willing to sit on the County of Forty Mile Rural Crime Watch Association once it is established.
“My main goal now is to recruit for a small board,” he said.
The goals of the provincial association, the Alberta Rural Crime Watch Association, are to raise community awareness about crime prevention while promoting it through the sharing of information.
Rural Crime Watch associations also work and share information with other rural crime watch associations in the province.
They also provide education and information to seniors through their Wise Owl program.
The Alberta Rural Crime Watch Association partners with the RCMP, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Alberta Solicitor General, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Farmers’ Advocate of Alberta, Alberta Beef Producers, United Farmers of Alberta, and the Alberta Conservation Association in working to reduce rural crime and report it when it does happen.
“Crime prevention is the goal and we need committed people to be a part of this. The more eyes we have out there, the better,” he said.
For further information, contact Leafloor at the detachment at 403-545-2784.