REDUCING CRIME IS A TEAM EFFORT

Crime is down in Surrey, and that's no anomaly. It's part of an
ongoing trend in the community. This trend is particularly
encouraging as the city continues to grow steadily.

Surrey RCMP say the city's crime rate is at a 10-year low, and has
been decreasing every year since 2003.

Why is crime falling in Surrey? The answer is complex.

One reason is the rapid pace of redevelopment. Older homes, which are
often held for speculative purposes and rented to sketchy
individuals, are being torn down at a faster rate and replaced by new
subdivisions or townhouse developments.

Police and the city have often been quite proactive on this front.
Most notably, the city initiated a program to tear down many small
homes in Whalley near the SkyTrain line that were havens for
criminals. The net result is a safer area.

New developments are planned with crime reduction in mind as well.
The placement of lighting, walkways and other things can make a big
difference, by taking away opportunity for criminals.

Another factor in the reduction of crime has been the initiative to
shut down marijuana grow-ops, which has come from the fire
department. This has dramatically reduced the number of active
grow-ops in Surrey, and those operations frequently serve as a magnet
for other crimes.

Surrey RCMP also need to take credit for some key initiatives. The
precinct system has been an outstanding success, with police officers
more focused on specific areas of the city. This has given police a
higher profile within each part of Surrey, and has enabled them to
spot crime trends at an earlier stage.

The RCMP have also done an excellent job with school liaison and
building their presence in Surrey's various ethnic communities,
making direct connections with people, building trust and encouraging
them to be eyes and ears of the police.

Surrey council also needs to take some credit. Both former mayor Doug
McCallum and current Mayor Dianne Watts have emphasized the
importance of cracking down on criminals and the need for the city to
work more closely with police. Both mayors have strongly backed the
hiring of extra police officers.

Watts has also been very diligent in pushing for better services for
the homeless, addicts and other people who often get caught up in
crime as a result of their personal situations.

Another factor is the willingness of citizens to take more measures
to protect their property. All these things add up.

As Surrey grows, there will be crime. It's inevitable in any big city.

What is important is that city council and staff, citizens and the
police all work together to keep the lid on crime, as best they can.

Two notable citizens have left us in recent weeks. Ralph Cave was one
of the first members of the Surrey RCMP detachment, when it took over
from the municipal force in 1951, and continued to be an active
member of the community after retiring in Surrey when his RCMP
service concluded.

Edgar Dunning was, in many ways, "Mr. Delta," involved in almost
every aspect of the community for most of his 100 years. His
dedication to Delta, and to our community newspaper industry, was legendary.

Both will be missed.