Welcome
Published: May 17, 2010 5:00 AM
You’ve probably heard the name Rural Crime Watch, perhaps you’ve seen the highway signs, read a column in the newspaper, or even paid a visit to www.ruralcrimewatch.com. If not, perhaps it’s time to find out a little more about a very worthwhile organization within your community that works 24/7 to keep residents safe, and free from crime.
The Barriere Rural Crime Watch program is designed to reduce the incidence of crime in this rural and small municipality areas. Members are those with a vested interest in the rural community: ranchers, business owners, house and acreage owners, resort owners and other residents within the area. Their active involvement with crime prevention techniques enhances everyone’s security and quality of life.
Barriere Rural Crime Watch covers a vast geographical area around Barriere totalling 3,066 square kilometres. The boundary starts just north of Heffley Creek (where the four lanes end), then to Bush Creek at Adams Lake (5km north of the Adams Lake Mill). Between Heffley Creek and Bush Creek, the boundary crosses Knouff Lake Road at the 5km mark (from Todd Mountain Road) and it crosses Heffley Louis Creek Road at the 7km mark (from Todd Mountain Road), then it goes north to the 70 km mark of Adams Lake West FSR, swings west through Thuya Creek at Hwy 5 and continues west to Machette Lake. From this lake, the boundary goes south through Bonaparte Lake to Bare Lake, then it goes southeast to McLure Ferry at Westsyde Road and back down to Heffley Creek along the west shore of the North Thompson River to where it started at Heffley Creek.
All the small communities within the above boundaries are covered by the Barriere Rural Crime Watch program. People’s homes, businesses, resorts, farms and ranches in Barriere, Brennan Creek, Darfield, East Barriere Lake, Exlou, Knouff Lake, Louis Creek, McLure, North Barriere Lake, etc. are all covered by RCW. Members living within the boundaries can be of tremendous help to the RCW program by using their eyes and ears.
Objectives of RCW include reducing the opportunity for crime to persons and property by improving and implementing security practices in homes, outbuildings, vehicles and machinery; such practices include property identification conducted by the RCMP, Rural Crime Watch signage, and vigilant observation of neighbouring properties.
Becoming familiar with educational strategies by actively participating in crime prevention awareness programs.
Ensuring that communication flow exists between the Association members, the RCMP, and other interested parties such as the BC Cattlemen, Conservation Officers, Forestry, BC Wildlife Federation, Wilderness Watch and various commercial enterprises.
Providing a telecomputer fan-out system that provides mass communication by the RCMP who enter Alert Messages into the telecomputer which then relays the message by phoning all the members of RCW that are listed in its’ memory.
This system is installed and operating at the Barriere RCMP Detachment. To keep the system functioning it costs approximately $100 per month for TELUS. This money is raised through donations from organizations, government, businesses, and individuals within the RCW area.
If you think of a blanket or a shroud that offers protection or, in this case prevention, you will understand the concept of the Barriere Rural Crime Watch crime prevention program. RCW is a community effort that reduces rural crime.
Founding members of Barriere Rural Crime Watch are asking residents within the RCW area to learn about Rural Crime Watch, submit a membership application, and have your name included during a fan-out mass notification of a crime or abduction taking place. RCW doesn’t want you to get too physically involved, just your eyes and ears, and your telephone number dialing finger so you can notify your local police.
There is no fee for membership and you do not have to attend any meetings unless you wish to.
Membership applications can be picked up at the Barriere Detachment.
If you value keeping area communities safe places to live please consider contributing to keep the fan-out computer up and running at the Barriere Detachment. Any amount, no matter how small will be a contribution to keep your community safe.
Contact a Barriere Rural Crime Watch director for more information or to find out how you can make a contribution.
Call Monica Ireland at 250-672-2477, or Jill Hayward at 250-672-5611.
You cn also go to www.ruralcrimewatch.com to learn more about becoming a member.
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