CRITICS CAN'T KICK SURREY AROUND ANY MORE

Crime Statistics: Numbers Dropping Like Rocks Since Initiative Began

It's beginning to look as if those who are quick to point fingers at
Surrey over its crime reputation won't have B.C.'s second-largest city
to kick around any more.

That's because Surrey, once known for having the highest auto-crime
rate per capita in the English-speaking world, is making very
impressive progress in its fight against all types of crime.

This is why uniform buttons were popping with pride Friday at Surrey's
RCMP headquarters when the latest crime statistics were officially
released.

Between 2004 -- when a new RCMP crime initiative focusing on repeat
offenders was launched -- and 2006, property crimes in Surrey fell by
14 per cent overall.

During those three years, specialized property- and auto-crime teams
made 737 arrests.

More than three-quarters of these arrests involved prolific offenders
(some were arrested more than once), and 95 per cent resulted in
guilty pleas. And this crime-reduction trend has continued in the
current first quarter by dropping 13 per cent compared to last year's
opening quarter.

Overall, property-related crimes are down by eight per cent but within
that category auto thefts, for example, have declined by 21 per cent,
while residential break-and-enter crimes are down by 11 per cent.

Most other categories also showed declines, such as the 21-per-cent
drop in drug crimes and another 21-per-cent reduction in other
Criminal Code offences.

However, these results were not achieved by police efforts
alone.

When the special RCMP teams were formed three years ago, key
partnerships were developed with related groups such as Canada
Corrections, the provincial corrections service, probation services,
etc.

In fact, utilizing outside forces and co-ordinating all community
groups and stakeholders in fighting crime is precisely the same
direction in which Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts is moving her city
government under its new Crime Reduction Strategy initiative.

"The community is coming together to support the RCMP," Watts told
Friday's media conference.

"The police can't do everything. So, by bringing in the city and
community groups to help deal with issues such as mental health,
homelessness or addiction, we free up our police so they can do the
work they're meant to do," she added.

The city's CRS initiative is based on the highly successful model
developed in the U.K., where fighting crime by focusing on its root
causes such as addiction or poverty has reduced levels in some cities
by more than 30 per cent.

Lance Talbott, who is Surrey's new CRS manager, says while the program
is still in its infancy here, he's confident that similar crime-rate
cuts can be achieved in Surrey.

"Yes, we can do it. But this program is not simply a U.K. solution for
Surrey," he explains.

"Ours will be specific Surrey solutions for Surrey crime problems --
and many of those solutions will come from the community itself," adds
Talbot, a 19-year veteran of the London Metropolitan Police Service.
Since Surrey is B.C.'s first municipality to undertake such a program,
it's clearly under the spotlight.

But if Surrey's crime stats continue to fall, this will help end what
many in the city feel is a bad rap.

While Surrey jokes may draw a laugh in some circles, real crime
reduction in the city will make Surrey downright delirious with happiness.