In a town with “one of the busiest detachments” in Southern Alberta, a volunteer group described as the “eyes and ears” of the RCMP is seeking more members.
“We are keen to get new members,” said Tyler, a Cochrane Citizens on Patrol member who only wanted to be identified by first name due to privacy and safety concerns.
Const. Matt Drennan attended the monthly meeting Monday to update the group on types of crimes police have been dealing with lately.
“There are a lot of property crimes ... we are getting constant reports of stolen vehicles. These are not violent crimes, no one’s door is getting kicked in, these are crimes of opportunity,” Drennan explained.
“If people would lock their stuff up, it would solve more than 90 per cent of the crime.”
In addition to the high number of thefts, Drennan also said Bragg Creek and Redwood Meadows has “really been getting destroyed lately” with stolen property such as vehicles, and that Morley has been “rocking and rolling” with violent crimes.
Drennan described the town’s policing situation “as 100 per cent reactive,” due to the volume and nature of calls, which is why Citizens on Patrol is so valuable.
“If we get a drunk driver call, that is four hours of our time and if we get a domestic call, we are out for the night,” Drennan said.
The volunteer group helps the Cochrane RCMP with weekly patrols reporting suspicious and illegal activity, but they are not a band of vigilantes, members wanted to clarify.
Volunteers, who work in pairs on patrol shifts, never leave their vehicles.
“Everyone here is for the greater good,” Tyler said.
The group – initiated more than two decades ago under the Community Policing Advisory Committee – meets once a month with a target goal of 12 patrols a month. Current membership is 20 people but organizers explained the goal is 24 members, with an ideal number of 30 people.
The group hosts monthly meetings on the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Protective Services Centre. For more information, go to cochranecop.com.
