Wednesday, October 26, 2022 Vol. 45, No. 43
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Viking RCMP hear public concerns Patricia Harcourt Editor
Viking RCMP heard resident concerns at a town hall held Wednesday, October 19 at the Viking Carena Complex. Acting Commander Anita Doktor said the goal is to increase RCMP visibility and get to know people in the community. Retired lawyer John Hunter, a former Viking mayor and former reeve of Beaver County, recalled how officers used to be participating members in the community, which he said contributed to the good regard citizens had for the police in town. “The best way to have a safe community is (for the police) to partner with the community,” he said, adding that interactions have now become “more confrontational…I think it’s vital for the community to have that partnership.” Doktor replied: “I respect all that… We need to collaborate with the community.” Hunter said that this collaboration needs to be done “outside the police community.” However, another resident said the people being arrested in town are not coaching hockey or involved in the community, implying that collabora-
tion would not work in that regard. Town councillor Cindy Lefsrud said being too friendly in the community can work against the police. “There have been police who have been friends in the community making it hard to arrest anyone,” she said. “Don’t blame the cops,” said another resident, when it comes to their getting to know the community. He pointed out there were only 20 people attending the town hall meeting that night. Cst. Keeli Chambers attended the meeting with Doktor, stating she would like to get involved in sports but said officers also need a personal life for their mental health. “A lot of calls are made higher up (the command chain) out of your control,” added town councillor Dana Ewashko. Also attending the meeting on the policing side was Jeff McGowan, director of the National Police Federation, speaking about the current emphasis on targeting prolific criminals who do a majority of the crime. He said that most crime in rural areas is of a transient nature with someone looking for something they can grab and sell to support their drug habit. “They’re hitting communities all over the place,” he said. The justice system can arrest people but McGowan said there are few after
Those attending the RCMP town hall meeting at the Carena Complex Oct. 19 expressed many opinions on policing in the community.
Acting Commander for the Viking Detachment Anita Doktor (right) and Cst. Keeli Chambers listen to attendees make their case at a town hall meeting set up by the RCMP last week. incarceration programs to keep people from re-offending keeping the recidivism rate higher than it might have to be. “As a cop, I get it,” he said, when it comes to the number of charges just one prolific offender can rack up when out of jail. He promoted the Citizens on Patrol (COP) program, calling it “a great organization.” Although this program has been done in Viking in the past, there has historically been difficulty getting enough people to patrol to make it worthwhile. McGowan said if there are only four or five people willing to participate it isn’t worth doing. Doktor said the detachment, however, is starting some projects, including targeting oilfield thefts and other property crimes in the countryside. And Chambers has become the new school liaison for the detachment. She introduced herself to the students at the school earlier that day, seeing it as “a positive influence” on their perception of the RCMP.
Councillor Lefsrud said that familiarizing the students in school can help defuse situations out of the school environment and even later on. Chambers said the school liaison project had been put on hold for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re trying to build a positive rapport with the school,” she said, as well as the Viking/Beaver Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and fostering community goodwill with the recent barbeque at the detachment. “Slowly, we’re hoping to get more (of that),” she said. At the school, students asked questions about what a police officer does and laws regarding “what you can and cannot do.” Break-ins at Canada Post offices have been occurring lately in smaller communities like Donalda, Killam and Viking, but Doktor said getting information for the local B&E was difficult to get due to privacy concerns by the Continued on Page 19