In today's Williams Lake Tribune - Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook said the following, with regards to addressing the recent crime spike in Williams Lake (in parts):
With the recent attention to crime, we (WL Council) authorized City Staff to coordinate with the RCMP to start some community meetings about awareness, education, and going to the community to see if they (residents' of Williams Lake) are prepared to pay more money to have an enhanced police service
Either this community will accept the status quo or we're going to have to bite the bullet and put some more money into further crime reduction. The meetings are to start in January 2013. I think we'll get far more response from the community because what the RCMP want is a target team of 4 or 5 people & that will cost an additional $400,000 - $500,000 to Williams Lake taxpayers'
As one taxpayer - I would think that one of the primary issues that residents' will look for is:
Will I see what I'm paying for (ie: will the half-million to be spent show a physical (actual) reduction in crime in Williams Lake)?
I would say no as some of the underlying issues relate to substance abuse issues (drug/alcohol) and require a multi-disciplined approach (City working with RCMP and Interior Health). I wonder if the City looked seriously at using the same $400-500,000 to fund an alcohol rehab facility in Williams Lake, if the crime rate might look a little different. Also - given the high concentration of First Nations surrounding Williams Lake, we should look to them to help fund and/or coordinate crime reduction activities...
Over to you, Williams Lake.... status quo or spend up to $500,000 for further crime reduction stratagies
Mayor Cook also says an In-Camera Report from a meeting between Mayor/Council & Inspector Warren Brown will come forward at tonight's WL City Council meeting
SBF
3 comments:
I hope when they are meeting with Inspector Brown they discuss the vehicle mishap at Marie Sharpe this morning where a Student was hit and taken to hospital...
Not to mention the seemingly never ending multiple vehicle accidents that have been rampant this past week...
And not to forget that when one disobeys the traffic laws one is breaking the law and that we should not just be focusing on other types of crimes.
Or if they (RCMP) got smart and had Williams Lake Bylaw Services expand for half the price and take on low level policing issues.
Throw all the money you want at crime in the City but we all know exactly where the HUGE majority of the criminals come from.
Until the root issues in the outlying communities are dealt with nothing will change and WL taxpayers will be on the hook for problems that do not originate in our City, nor shoudl we have to pay for.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where action needs to be taken. To suggest WL taxpayers should pay more is a complete joke.
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