ATHABASCA — Town of Athabasca councillors will use their voice to advocate for changes in the justice system and increased RCMP patrols after recent concerns of increased levels of crime were voiced by community members and business owners.
Athabasca Mayor Rob Balay said on June 4, between seven to 10 business owners and individuals met with himself, Coun. Dave Pacholok, RCMP Staff Sgt. Mark Hall, and town CAO Rachel Ramey to express their worries about higher levels of daytime shoplifiting in businesses and break and enters and theft during early morning hours.
Related: Business owners say property crime on the rise despite RCMP numbers
“I wasn’t aware that there has so much recent activity,” Balay told councillors during his update to the group at their June 18 regular council meeting. Complaints from community members included response times by the RCMP, and a lack of consequences for those apprehended by police.
After a discussion of the meeting and potential solutions, councillors voted 7-0 in favour of sending a letter to the local RCMP detachment requesting more patrols through town and problem areas overnight and in the early morning hours as a deterrent for further crime.
Council also voted unanimously to write a letter to Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery, lobbying for changes to the judicial system that would see criminals caught for property crime face harsher consequences.
“There’s a real frustration out there,” said Balay. Solutions suggested at the informal meeting included the installation of more security cameras around town and initiating a community group to keep their eyes peeled for suspicious activity, though doubts about the effectiveness of more surveillance were voiced.
“I don’t know how much that helps, because (business owners and community members) also talk about how they hand it all this video evidence, and yet there’s no action on it. I don’t know exactly how some cameras we install are going to change any of that,” said Balay.
He noted he encouraged those present at the June 4 meeting to reach out to the Citizens on Patrol group active in Calling Lake, which he said has seen success.
“I’m really sad to hear theft has gone on the increase,” said Coun. Ida Edwards. She suggested businesses consider instituting a similar purchase checking process used by Costco to prevent shoplifting in stores.
Ramey indicated to the group that the town’s Community Peace Officer could help with deterrence during the daytime, but he would still be bound to his mandate.
“All he can do is patrol, and that’s all that I have asked him to do,” said chief administrative officer Rachel Ramey. “If he sees anything, just like anyone sees anything that might be suspicious, he has to call the RCMP.”
Peace officer Kevin Rowan gave his report to councillors earlier in the meeting, and noted he has started doing random patrols in stores and on streets around town, and while he hasn’t seen any suspicious activities himself, he said there is value in his presence.
“Flying the flag and being the only enforcement vehicle out there, in my opinion, would have some kind of effect,” Rowan told councillors. “Myself being out there and driving around is somewhat of a deterrent.”
Ramey encouraged any councillors discussing the issue of rising crime levels with residents to advise anyone to report any suspicious or unusual activity to police.
“The RCMP have made it clear that they need these calls to make sure that they have their stats so that when they go to justice, they have that backing,” said Ramey.
She referenced comments made by Kal Tire Athabasca’s Ryan Burchby in a June 18 story about theft in the area, who said he has stopped calling RCMP when his security system alerts him to after-hours intruders, opting to scare away thieves on his own.
“That does not help the situation,” Ramey said.
