The High River Police Committee is hard at work coming up with a new plan on just what the RCMP goals will be for the Town for the upcoming year.

Sergeant Ryan Dlin says the recent police committee open house was a chance to go over last years numbers, and identify this years goals, with residents of the community.

"We give an update to the community, and to the policing committee, as to where we stand with the goals that we set," said Dlin. "And the second part is we get some community input as to what some of the priorities might be for the next annual performance plan that will start April 1st."

Dlin says one of the 2018 goals included setting a goal of 200 patrols of school zones and they actually completed 235 patrols.

"In particular we identified high visibility school zone patrols as being one of the issues."

Last year was also the first year that school zones changed, they were harmonized with playground zones and are in effect from 7:30 in the morning until it is dark, seven days a week.

"We also looked at school zones violation enforcement, so actually being in the school zones looking to issue tickets for violators and typically that is for speed. We set a goal of 40 tickets and as of now we are at 38. That is one of those ones that if we don't meet the goal, I am happy because it usually means people are not speeding through the school zones."

Dlin says having a more viable police presence in the school zones has made a difference.

"The number of tickets that we have written shows it is getting harder and harder to find violators. Because people are aware that not only are we present, but there is an education part of it too."

"I think the increased presence has made a difference."

The department also made a goal of giving out 150 tickets for people who made infractions in intersections.

Violations like people failing to stop at stop signs and going through traffic lights.

'We've only issued 114 violations, and again that is one of those ones if we don't meet that goal, that's okay because it shows people are obeying those laws."

Another way the department is trying to make a difference is by being visible in the community.

"We try to attend the different functions within the community. The hockey games are a big one. We like to walk in, walk around and interact with some people there. It is just to show that we are part of the community."

He adds the officers also enjoy watching hockey, so that is a bonus as well.

Dlin said the Police Commission will help him set goals in the next month from the meeting, for the upcoming year, that the officers will start to work on in April.

 

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