Recently a report was released indicating that in terms of severe or serious crimes, Weyburn is very much a safe city, and remains so for many residents who have always believed this to be the case.
The report, from Statistics Canada, noted the city of Weyburn had a reduction of 15 per cent in the Crime Severity measurement, which reflects the relative seriousness of the crimes that the Weyburn Police Service have to deal with on a daily basis.
This is not to say that Weyburn is crime-free, or that the WPS are not kept busy on a daily and weekly basis. A quick perusal of the report from the police department, published each week in the Weyburn Review, will tell residents there are many incidents that take up the time of our police members for response, investigation and follow-up.
Indeed, Chief Marlo Pritchard noted that calls for service are actually up, and continue to go up, reflecting in part the ongoing growth and expansion of the city, due to a robust local economy.
This index referred to by Statistics Canada measures the relative severity of the recorded offences, and it would seem that while offences continue to occur, they are relatively less severe than they used to be.
Thus, the police are able to say, while they are kept busy, the city is for the most part safe for most city residents.
This is good news, not only for those who live and work here in Weyburn and area, but for those families and/or businesses looking to locate here and put down roots into this community; this report tells them that Weyburn was and is a safe community, and people need not fear for their safety while out of their homes, or out on a walk in the evening.
One of the changes in policing that has been brought in is a more concerted effort for officers to have a local contact with residents and businesses, including increased use of the bike patrol.
As the city continues to grow, it is in the interest of local residents for Weyburn to continue to be a safe place to raise a family or locate and run a business. In many ways, the public-at-large plays a part in how safe the community is, by keeping their eyes and ears open in their particular neighbourhoods to ensure if they see anything suspicious, it is brought immediately to the attention of the police so they can deal with the issue promptly. After all, a safe community is in the best interests of everybody who lives here.
