Airdrie Conservative MLA Angela Pitt is happy with a memorandum of understanding that was signed yesterday (February 15) between two groups that are intimately involved in the prevention of rural crime in the province.  

The MOU between the Alberta RCMP and the Alberta Rural Crime Watch Association makes the groups official partners in the cause and outlines the roles each organization will play in keeping rural communities safe throughout the province.

Pitt, who along with Banff - Airdrie Conservative MP Blake Richards, has been conducting meetings to hear from their constituents about what should be done about the rural crime issue, thinks the agreement is a wonderful idea.  

"I think this is a great partnership for rural Alberta.  We certainly know that we have a problem with crime, especially in our rural areas, and this is a great example of a forward-thinking, innovative idea that is going to put some rural residents minds at ease."

Rural Crime Watch is a community-led program supported by the RCMP and Alberta Justice and Solicitor General which is aimed at reducing rural crime in rural communities across the province by providing extra "eyes and ears" for the RCMP and promoting crime prevention through awareness and education campaigns.

The RCMP says that reducing crime in Alberta cannot be achieved through policing alone.  They say a collaborative approach that includes citizens, health and mental health service providers, law enforcement, government departments and community leaders like the Alberta Rural Crime Watch Association is what's needed and Pitt fully agrees.

"There's a whole lot of people out there ready to take action and do whatever they can to assist in the crime crisis in the rural areas that we're seeing right now.  This is just a great step forward and I can imagine that there's a whole lot of rural residents out there who are going to feel safer in their homes once this is up and running."

Pitt says rural Albertans have told her they have many concerns about rural crime.  "From continual mailbox theft and damage to break-ins of shop facilities to thefts of vehicles on the land.  There's a whole range of different activities of crime in the rural areas."

A meeting to hear people's thoughts on the problem of rural crime was postponed in Airdrie due to poor road conditions earlier this month.  Pitt says she and Richards are planning to reschedule soon for sometime in March.

  

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