For our President’s message, please click here to view our YouTube video

Message to Rural Crime Watch members:

Hello to you all:

I hope you and families are coping well and healthy given the pandemic that is impacting us all right now. These are challenging times, and I know all of us are living in a new reality that we have never experienced before.

I also want to thank you all for your continued efforts with Rural Crime Watch. Your group had gained a lot of momentum this year and I thank you for that work. You are a big part of our network and I appreciate the time you take to help keep your neighbours and communities safe.

Despite this pandemic and stay at home orders, crime is still occurring in our province. I can share with you that our call volume has decreased slightly, but our crime trends have not changed significantly. Your volunteerism is always very valuable to the RCMP and we will look forward to you carrying on with your efforts when our worlds return to a more normal state. Priorities in times like these change. I hope you are all able to focus on the health and well being of yourself and your loved ones in this situation.

I know many of you have continued to give your time to Rural Crime Watch throughout this. Though you aren’t able to continue your volunteerism in the same fashion as you were, I am thankful for your continued watchfulness.  It really shows your great dedication to the safety of your neighbours and Albertans alike. Thank you for continuing to support our organization.

In the future, I am hopeful we will all be able to resume our normal daily lives, and when that time comes, I’m hopeful I can continue to count on you and your volunteerism with Rural Crime Watch.

Take care and stay healthy,

Curtis

C.M. (Curtis) Zablocki, M.O.M.

Deputy Commissioner

Commanding Officer “K” Division

Please click on the link below to view our most recent RCW newsletters!

https://www.ruralcrimewatch.ab.ca/news-events/newsletter

Lymburn Area Suspicious Vehicles April 12 2020

The GPDRCWA has received a report of two suspicious vehicles in the Lymburn / RR125 Area. A white 3-ton deck tow truck and a silver Ford 350 were spotted parked at the end of a driveway. When they were approached, they sped off in a hurry. The silver ford was caught up to and offered, “looking for booster cables,” as an explanation. The white truck was last seen heading east on TWP road 671. This activity has been reported to the R.C.M.P. If these vehicles are seen involved in other suspicious activity please report it to the R.C.M.P. 

Also, with the forecast of warmer weather just a friendly reminder to watch for activity in your area that may not be the normal. Many eyes make for a safer community.

Facebook Originated Scam April 18 2020.

The GPDRCWA has received a report of the following scam that seems to be happening fairly regularly in our areas. They have hacked one of your friends Facebook accounts and they start a conversation leading you to believe it is your friend. They gradually lead the conversation to a point where they say they saw your name on a special grant list for covid 19 through Publishers Clearing House and they are surprised you haven’t claimed the money while leading you to think this friend has. This particular scam gave out the contact name of Linda Carol Snell and the phone number 587 774 3320. When you call they want money up front to complete the transaction. If you do this you have fallen for the scam. Two things that may help you detect this from the information I have been able to find is the government would never have a list of applicants that will be made public and also the government does not charge you to do transactions of this type.

Please be careful of all of this type of contact. Also please continue to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing when out in public. 

Did you know that all Rural Crime Watch locals are non-profit societies? Our organizations are run completely by volunteers!

If you are interested in being involved as a volunteer with our organization, please contact us at 780-831-4390!

Grande Prairie Rural Crime Watch now has the ability to accept E-Transfers!

Send E-Transfers to: treasurergprcwa@gmail.com

*Please include* your Name, Address, Phone number

Security question and answer are: Rural Crime Watch

There are various reasons that dogs are stolen…from dog fighting rings to breeding stock to resale opportunists, the fate of stolen dogs is grim.

Here are some steps you can take to prevent your canine companion from being dog-napped:

• Don’t leave your dog alone in the car, even for a few minutes. Thieves can easily break into your car to steal your precious pet.
• Make sure your dog is microchipped and that you keep your contact details up-to-date, especially if you move or change your phone number.
• Your dog should always wear a collar and ID tag with your name and address on it. This is a legal requirement when your dog is in a public place in most Alberta Urban areas. A mobile number is also a good idea, but avoid putting your dog’s name on the disc.
• Take clear photographs of your dog from various angles, and update them regularly. Make a note of any distinguishing features.
• Have lots of photographs of yourself with your dog, to help you to prove ownership if needed. Train your dog to come back when called, and never let them off the lead if you are not sure they will come back to you. If in doubt, use an extending lead, especially if you are in an unfamiliar area where your dog may get lost more easily.
• Take care when choosing someone to care for your dog if you are going away from home or need a dog walker whilst you go to work. Use a reputable company or boarding kennels and check references for people who provide dog or house-sitting services.
• At home, make sure your yard is secure and fit a bell to the gate so you hear if anyone opens it
• Keep your dog in view in the yard, don’t just leave him outside unsupervised
• If you breed puppies for sale, take great care when inviting people in to view; ideally have someone else present and limit the numbers of people you allow in at a time. Show the puppies in one secure area.
• Decide who owns the dog in your household. Discuss who would own the dog in the event of bereavement or break up and draw up documentation to this effect. This may seem unnecessary, but pets can become the centre of ownership disputes in these circumstances.

What does it take to become an RCMP officer?

The short answer is: a lot!

Cadet training is offered in English and in a bilingual format (English and French). A typical day lasts from 6 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and there are also program-related duties after hours. While 26 weeks away from one’s family and friends can be a challenge, there are support services in place, and it will not be long before Depot starts to feel like home.

Being an RCMP police officer demands a high level of self-discipline and RCMP police officers must always maintain control of their actions. To help recruits acquire this skill, a paramilitary environment exists. This model is an effective way to learn how to deal positively with uncomfortable situations and to reinforce teamwork.

Upon successful completion of the Cadet Training Program, generally you will be hired as an RCMP police officer. Your training will continue throughout your first posting, where you will be coached and mentored by experienced police officers as part of a six-month Field Coaching Program. During this time, you will perform everyday police duties under the supervision of your Field Coach.

For more information and some interesting FAQ answered, please click on the link below:

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/cadet-training

Beaverlodge District Rural Crime Watch meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of the month.

The upcoming November meeting will take place November 14th at 7pm at the Beaverlodge Swimming Pool building, 1024- 4th Ave.

Robert Jewitt, our Beaverlodge RCMP rep, as well as Steven Jewer, our County liaison officer, will be sharing pertinent info, updates and tips.

AND we also have a speaker sharing on the topic of Self Defense! BDRCW will possibly be coordinating self-defense classes for adults and kids in the near future if enough interest is expressed…stay tuned!

Everyone is welcome and as usual, we have coffee and snacks!

Hope to see you there!

Crime Prevention supports existing community programs that play a role in reducing crime and educate the community on the root causes of crime and crime prevention initiatives to help create a safe community.

The four root causes of crime are:

1. Substance use and abuse
2. Breakdown of the family unit
3. Lack of community connectedness
4. Bullying and family violence

There are three levels of prevention:

• Primary – there are no indicating factors present; true prevention
• Secondary – indicating factors have been presented; the goal is to identify the problem and prevent it from continuing or worsening
• Tertiary – problems have already happened; the focus is now on decreasing the likelihood of recurrence