Residents could have a say in how police resources are allocated this year in Sidney and North Saanich.
The local detachment of the RCMP is holding a town hall meeting on Tuesday, March 8 at the Mary Winspear Centre. Corporal Erin Fraser says it’s an opportunity for people to talk with police on issues they feel are important for the RCMP to address.
“It’s not going to be a place where people can come and complain,” Fraser noted, adding the public has other avenues to address those kinds of concerns.
“We want it to be a positive experience,” she said. “We want to hear from people on how we’re doing and what they want to see more of, or less of.”
There will be a panel of officers from the Sidney North Saanich RCMP detachment, including Fraser, Staff Sergeant Anna Marie Mallard, community policing officer Constable George Phipps and others. Fraser said there will be a microphone available to people as well and a display on Crime Stoppers.
She said the session will help the local police draw up its annual performance plan (APP), which sets out the strategic goals of the detachment. Information discussed at the meeting will be collected and considered in the detachment’s 2016-2017 APP, which begins on April 1. That plan sets out local policing priorities and where resources will be allocated throughout the year.
Fraser said they are hoping for a diverse crowd of people at the town hall meeting, able to make a variety of suggestions and speak to issues in the community that the police might be unaware of.
The session takes place in Room 2, starting at 6:30 pm. at the Mary Winspear Centre.