While there has been plenty of media attention lately on North Battleford’s struggles to reduce crime, not all the focus has been negative.
Most recently, writer Greg Saville at the blog SafeGrowth - Inspire Neighbourhood Futures recognized the work of Herb Sutton, the city’s community safety co-ordinator.
In the piece dated Dec. 26, Saville lauded Sutton as a local champion and praised the various crime-reduction efforts going on in North Battleford.
Saville wrote that he and Elizabeth Miller had taught CPTED training to Sutton two years earlier and then again a training session in North Battleford last year. The project that had emerged from the SafeGrowth training was a community garden behind the Lighthouse in 2015.
Saville also noted the attention Sutton’s work recently received in Maclean’s magazine.
“Like much crime prevention in troubled places, progress is slow. Yet to date it is impressive: regular team meetings on CPTED and problem-solving, town hall meetings on safety, a new CPTED review committee, downtown art, block parties, and safety audits.”
He also noted the work has produced some early results.
“While crime rates in Saskatchewan increased 9%, this past year crime severity in North Battleford declined 8%. But all this is not without setbacks. Chronic underfunding continues and recent spurts in gun violence from gang activity persist. But so too does the work of Herb and his colleagues.”
