CUPE OFFERS TO INTRODUCE CITY WATCH PROGRAM

Local civic workers want to become extra eyes and ears for the police.

Representatives from CUPE Local 454 were at Delta council this week
outlining a proposed City Watch program, aimed at reducing crime by
encouraging workers working outdoors to be on extra alert for
suspicious activities.

"While we are out in the community we'd be trained what to look for,
things such as grow ops, chop shops, break-ins or high risk
offenders," said Darryl Robison, president of Local 454.

Although details still have to be worked out, the training would be
minimal, Robison noted.

"It's just an hour or two and it would involve the Delta police coming
over and telling our people what to look for, signs of grow ops and
working through the report forms and advise them not to intervene."

According to CUPE BC, City Watch has already been adopted in Victoria,
Ladysmith, the Township of Langley, Prince George and Kamloops.
Chilliwack also recently implemented it and Burnaby is designing a
training program for the initiative.

Robison said having a program here is important for CUPE members
because 2,030 live in Delta and 1,600 are employed in the
municipality, including almost 700 who are employed by the Corporation
of Delta.

"We want to keep an eye out for things of an unusual nature in the
community while we're out there working," he said.

"We know the community, we know what belongs and doesn't
belong."

Local 454 asked for council's approval so that resources, including
special reporting forms, can be allocated.

"Each of our vehicles would be supplied with a binder explaining the
program and it would have reporting forms in there," explained Robison.

"One option could be we would call dispatch directly and they can
dispatch an officer and come out, which is something we do now

because if we see a problem on the road we'd call engineering dispatch
and they'd call police.

"Or it could be a paper format for a grow op, or whatever, and it
could be handed in with their daily paperwork and then it would go to
the police that way."

Robison also said the initiative is very much like Block Watch, and
since workers are out in the community they could be utilized as a
crime fighting resource.

Engineering director Ian Radnidge told council the preliminary
estimates on the start up cost is about $10,000 for decals,
promotional materials and training.

Delta CAO George Harvie said police chief Jim Cessford is in support
of the concept and the initiative should be launched as soon as possible.

Councillors agreed it is a good idea and asked for a staff report to
get more details, including costs.