Crime prevention program sees over 3,500 hours worked in 2023

Feb 12, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Vernon’s Community Safety Unit undertook a variety of duties as part of crime prevention efforts in 2023.

A year-end report on crime prevention to Vernon city council stated the unit, which consists of two community safety coordinators and 29 dedicated RCMP volunteers, donated a combined 3,510 hours of their time in 2023.

As part of the work this past year, Darren Lees, manager of protective services, said volunteers conducted community safety patrols, speed watch operations, cell phone watches, and marine vessel safety pre-check and invasive mussel operations.

The work that took up the majority of the unit’s time was community safety patrols, as volunteers were deployed three times a week, with an additional deployment on Halloween night, totaling 169 deployments for a total of 2,024 operational hours. During that time, the unit drove 14,525 km and ran 11,297 license plates through the Stolen Auto Recovery program, though the report did not state if that work resulted in any stolen vehicles being identified.

In 2023, the unit also spent 340 hours on 85 Speed Watch deployments. Through this work, which is intended to raise awareness to speeding drivers as well as collect data on where speeding is a significant problem, saw the 27,330 vehicles targeted to slow down. Three violation tickets were issued as a result of the speed watches.

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The unit was also deployed 19 times for marine vessel safety pre-checks and invasive mussel operations last year. Volunteers spent 206 hours looking over 169 vessels, none of which were contaminated with invasive mussels.

The Cell Watch Operation, which involves checking for distracted drivers in partnership with ICBC and the police, saw the volunteers deployed 11 times to work 44 hours. During that time, 5,855 vehicles were observed, and seven warning letters were issued to registered owners.

The Community Safety Unit also conducted regular vehicle night patrols and oversaw the Lock Out Auto Crime program. Special duties in 2023 saw the unit work during the Winter Carnival fireworks, Parade and Kick Off, as well as at the Community Expo, the Jean Minguy Youth Academy, Funtastic, Ducks for Dogs, Ride Don’t Hide and the Sun Valley Cruise-In, though specific hours spent working at those events or operations was not provided in the report.

The Community Safety Unit also has a Quick Response Team, consisting of a team leader and eight members who are available for short notice callout, however the team was not deployed to any incidents in 2023.

The unit also provided some training for the Block Watch groups in Vernon. As of 2023 there were 85 active Block Watches in Vernon along with seven Crime Free Multi-Housing Properties.

The report stated there were some challenges in 2023.

An undisclosed number of volunteers resigned from the Crime Prevention Program, while a recruiting drive held in the spring did see three more volunteers join the Unit.

The Block Watch program also saw a reduction in the total active groups due to a review of Block Watch policies and procedures. Groups that were inactive and did not have a captain for six months were deactivated.

Looking ahead to 2024, the Community Safety Unit looks to bolster its ranks, with five potential new members currently in the application process. They will be taking part in a core training session sometime in the spring.

Also, the unit will attempt to recruit new Block Watch members in the year ahead, though specific timelines on that work was not provided.

Vernon council will be presented the report for information at the regular meeting Monday, Feb. 12.

by Liam Verster