ASSINIBOIA — An important information session upcoming to initiate a Citizens on Patrol (COPP) program in Assiniboia is taking place Jan. 23 at Assiniboia’s Canalta Hotel in the form of a lunch and learn event.
COPP members are educated volunteers who, through observation, documentation and reporting, provide a presence in their community while patrolling by vehicle, on foot or other means. This increases awareness and can lead to timely reporting of suspicious, dangerous or unusual activities happening in the community, of great assistance to the local RCMP.
Detachment Services Assistant, Ashley Burnay, says, “The RCMP, the town and the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce all brainstormed on this program. After approaching the town and they suggested the chamber for partnership, I have been working on getting this valuable program started up in our town.”
Laurie Stianson, former Chamber of Commerce president, now board member, says the event is also a partnership with businesses who are hosting, catering and sponsoring the lunch and learn event.
The name, South Central Citizens on Patrol Program is initially being set up for Assiniboia, needing volunteers to be the eyes and ears of the community.
Burnay adds, “Once this has been rolled out in Assiniboia, we hope to expand to other communities that Assiniboia polices; that is our first step.”
“The idea for this program was a joint effort from the sergeant at the time and when the program was first brought up, he was very keen on getting in going as well as the town approached us on initiating this program. It was a joint effort of vested interest to get this program started.”
Burnay will be facilitating the Jan. 23 event and will be expressing the value of COPP in Assiniboia.
“We need volunteers to push forward. Everything is ready to run a training program and now our call out is for people to come forward and volunteer. Once we can find the ones that want to help out it will be a step in the right direction to get this program up and running. My goal is to have a training program this spring and roll out COPP in Assiniboia before summer hits,” says Burnay.
There is an agreement with the town to commit a certain amount of funding as well as the Assiniboia Detachment will provide equipment. From there, Burnay says they will petition for further funding and outlining the funding for the future will be part of her presentation at Assiniboia’s lunch and learn event. This is how these programs survive.
The aim of a community COPP organization is to forge a working partnership between citizens and the police and offers a proactive approach to crime prevention. Deterrence is an emphasis of this program with awareness of the program operating in a community being helpful in counteracting criminal activity. Community members play a crucial role as participants in COPP, ensuring it remains effective.
There is optimism that Assiniboia residents will see the value of a COPP organization in their community and that volunteers will step forward to get the program started
