We’re only days into the new year and already there are news reports of murders, sexual assaults, kidnappings and robberies in some of the province’s larger centres.
An AMBER alert was issued last Thursday for two young children who were reportedly abducted in Timmins.
That same day, the Toronto Star carried a story about a 27-year-old woman who was forced into a vehicle in downtown Toronto, taken to a home and sexually assaulted by six men.
The first week of January also marked 2012’s third homicide in Toronto. In one instance, a man has been charged with second-degree murder after his girlfriend was found dead in her home.
Two men in Waterloo were robbed of their iPhones and wallets by a man with a gun on Jan. 5, reported The Record. In a similar story, three armed suspects stole cash from two male victims in Cambridge last week.
Happy New Year.
Here in Minto, we may miss out on some of the big-city action. We also avoid the high crime rates. Here, we are so fortunate to live in a safe, well-protected community. Folks can walk at night without fear. Families know each other and their children. Murders are unheard of, and sexual assaults aren’t far behind.
We have an OPP unit that vigilantly patrol our streets, a county-wide Crime Stoppers program and a local COPS committee that work together to minimize crime and keep us safe.
But the responsibility does not fall on the police or committee members alone. We can, and should, all play a role in keeping crime out of Minto.
Crime Stoppers offers these tips on how to do just that:
• Report if streets, footpaths and subways are not well lit to your local authority.
• If there are any new building developments planned for your area, such as shopping precincts, housing estates and car parks, contact your local authority or the developer to ask about how the building designs are minimizing opportunities for criminals.
• Develop a local Neighbourhood Watch or Home Watch to collaborate with local people to protect your community.
• Contact your local Crime Stoppers or COPS (community oriented policing strategies) committee member to find out about local crime reduction schemes that you may like to be involved in and what action is being taken to tackle any particular local problems you’re concerned about.
The Minto COPS committee, according to members, continues to involve the community through both reactive and proactive policing strategies. These include the identification of crime, traffic and social order problems, safety and solutions. The committee has several purposes, including:
• To act as a liaison between the public and police.
• To listen to safety concerns and suggestions from residents of Minto Township.
• To work with the police to come up with positive solutions.
• To provide education on safety matters.
• To assist with crime prevention strategies.
This new year, local residents have a real opportunity. They can resolve to both volunteer and keep their communities safe for everyone by supporting the local COPS committee.
For more information, contact COPS committee chairperson Constable Todd Pridham at 519-323-3130 or todd.pridham@ontario.ca.
- S.B.