Tabitha Gallicano

Bill Sarai

I totally believe in the steps you have mentioned, also I just helped implement a block watch on our block and have seen an impoverishment in shady people around, I will also push for more neighborhood associations and give them a chance to submit there concerns to city council . Better lighting and more police and bylaws in high crime areas is also be a good tool .

Dale Bass

Encourage expansion of Neighbourhood Watch programs. Take an active role in this. Stop congregating all social services in one hub. I volunteer at the Kamloops Child Development Centre on Holway. Within one block of us are so many such services that provide support for their clientele yet you can't have a cannabis store that close to a school. Where is the logic in that?

Jennifer Adams

Sight lines and keeping areas open are important. Block watch is great and helps. Residents can improve security by installing lighting and secure fencing and locking up valuables. Neighbourhoods can get a lot done by approaching various committees that can forward recommendations to council or even directly to staff to consider changes. Video taping illegal activity helps, residents can play a part in their neighbourhoods. Hopefully some of the new developments, cold weather shelters and an increase in surveillance, recording and reporting will help. We all have a part we can play in making our community safer.

Arjun Singh

All of what you have mentioned Tabitha is having a positive impact. I think the crime prevention folks within the city have been able to facilitate great education to let residents know what they can do to make their homes and vehicles less of a target for crimes of opportunity. I think city council has to make sure we have enough police officers to deal with situations as they arise. One thing is that potentially tricky but I believe might have real positive impact is for council to look at helping funding more early intervention social services like outreach or life skills programs so that the we can avoid paying increasing amounts in police or bylaws response.

Denis Walsh

I think City Hall has taken the various issues linked to addiction and homelessness, which are likely responsible for a percentage of petty theft and property crime very seriously during the past term. By working with the Province, City Hall has helped to facilitate the movement of nearly 200 people into appropriate shelters. A strong relationship with the Province is essential, as they have resources and skill sets required to help the City of Kamloops deal with these issues. Much more effort is needed, particularly to address issues often associated with addiction, such as overdoses, crime, and panhandling. City Hall needs to be fully engaged in finding positive solutions which will help the community as a whole. Kamloops is not unique to these issues; however, I feel the more feedback we receive from all facets of our community, the better able Council will be in making important, and at times difficult decisions. We can always do better.

Stephen Karpuk

All of your suggestions are good, but the bottom line is we need to change our approach to our prolific drug addicted offenders. There has to be some accountability and as I see it now, we don't have any. This program was apparently used in 2006-07 with good success. I know a few RCMP wish we could go back to that. As a council we can direct the models of policing in our community. Time for a change.

Another item I would like to see is the use of permeable concrete for our city, including sidewalks and roadways. Many part of Kamloops have NO sidewalks. The excuse I have been given in the past by some city staff is that we have no storm sewer to direct the water runoff into with traditional sidewalks so we don't get them due to the costs of putting storm sewers. WRONG!!

Permeable concretet is now best practice for urban design because the water that falls on them goes right through the surface, thus permeable, and reduces or even eliminates the need for storm sewers. Barnhartvale, Dallas, Rayleigh, Heffley, Northshore, Brock, etc., all could get sidewalks. Other cities and communities use this material, we need to start. Let's train our city staff in this technology and start doing best practices. I've included a couple of links to some Youtube videos on this if you are interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcY8sfLDeYA (Canada locations)

Studies in planning/urban design have shown that property crime can decrease as much as 17% by simply adding sidewalks alone to a community. Sidewalks get people out walking more where they can meet their neighbours and after they meet their neighbour they often look out for each other more. It builds healthy communities. Plus more people out walking means more people looking at what it happening in their neighbourhoods and that means less opportunity for property and vehicle crime to occur.

There is so much more we can implement and benefit our community safety. Thank you for the question and please help get the vote out. Vocal majority not a vocal minority.

Alison Klie

Supporting education initiatives for the public is the simplest way. Using that we can remind people to keep their doors locked, to store more valuable items in their homes or in locked sheds, and install motion sensor lights. We should also have easy information on how start a neighbourhood watch organization and find ways to support them. Getting to know your neighbours will help encourage them to keep an eye on your house as well as theirs. With the now full compliment of RCMP I hope that police presence will improve around the city.