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Little interest for "Stop Crime" forum

“All things start small, but they get bigger.” At least that’s the hope of the organizers of a “Stop Crime” forum held Oct. 3 at Outriders Smokehouse.
crime meeting
Westlock (and Alberta) Citizens on Patrol president Garth Kohlsmith speaks to a group of about 12 people who took in a “Stop Crime” forum Oct. 3 at Outriders Smokehouse, while organizer Gary Crummer looks on. Though disappointed with the turnout Crummer said he was going to try again with another forum at a different location.

“All things start small, but they get bigger.”

At least that’s the hope of the organizers of a “Stop Crime” forum held Oct. 3 at Outriders Smokehouse.

Restaurant owners Gary Crummer and Peggy Varga shut down the kitchen and bar and opened their doors for about a dozen residents concerned with the amount of crime in the Westlock area and a seemingly ineffective justice system that sees offenders back on the street with little or no consequence for their previous crimes.

They were there to share ideas and experiences and come to some understanding on what needs to be done next.

“I’m disappointed,” said Crummer.

“I’m really happy for the people that came out. I thought we would be full. I thought we would have people in the streets. All I see on social media is about crime, how people are sick of it, how this happened and that happened, but do we really care?

“It appears not.”

About 200 people on Facebook indicated their interest in attending the event, but only a handful arrived for the hour-long meeting that included words from Crummer on why he organized the forum and several residents who had been recent victims of crime in the area.

Citizens on Patrol Alberta president Garth Kohlsmith also made a short statement regarding what the group does in town to help RCMP with a few extra sets of eyes and ears on the community during the night.

And so did Stan Viersen, the father of incumbent Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen, who was double-booked at a campaign event in Slave Lake for the night.

Crummer and Varga’s home near Jarvie was broken into mid-September, which resulted in the loss of a quad and about $80,000 worth of tools, and made Crummer even more steadfast in his belief that something has to be done, and fast.

Crummer told the assembled group that it’s important to come together as a community to stand up against the rising tide of crime in the region, whether you like your neighbour or not, you should still be watching each other’s backs, he said.

“Unless we stand up, this will continue,” said Crummer. “The time for ‘Oh well,” is over, we can’t continue to live like this anymore. When I first came to Westlock 15 years ago, it wasn’t too bad. It was a pretty nice place. A lot of farmers retired in Westlock and now those farmers’ are getting robbed.”

Crummer also made clear too the group that he held no grudges against the RCMP, who he said he realizes are stretched thin as they cover a large area. The blame, and many people openly agreed, should be placed on the judicial system itself as judges and prosecutors “that are turning people out for all property crimes.”

“They go to court and they’re turned out back in to the street within three hours,” said Crummer.

“I want to do something. I don’t know what to do. I want ideas. I’m just like you. I go to work every day to try to buy things that I enjoy and at the end of the day somebody steals it.”

Westlock Citizens on Patrol president Garth Kohlsmith, who is also president of the provincial COP organization, spoke to the audience about what the group does in the community and told them the most important thing they can do if they see something suspicious is to call it in to RCMP. He stressed the point again and again.

“The biggest thing we do is we’re the eyes and the ears of the police, we don’t try to arrest anybody, we don’t try to grab anybody, or stop anybody, we just watch and if we see something suspicious, we phone it in. The biggest thing I find is that people will see something, but they won’t call the police,” said Kohlsmith, who also pointed out the local COP group is always looking for new members.

A few people in the audience did express some interest in participating. Kohlsmith urged them to go to the Westlock RCMP Detachment and ask for his number and he could help set them up with criminal record checks, which are required.

“The biggest thing we have to do is all work together. You can’t just sit in your little house look around and say, “Oh that guy down the street is stealing that car, but it’s not my car, so who gives a damn?’ Well, the guy who owns the car sure cares, and they next night it could be your car and he’ll say the same thing,” said Kohlsmith.

“You’ve got to phone the police and you’ve got to watch out your windows and look. If you see something, don’t be afraid to phone.”

Crummer went on to say that while he was disappointed in the number of people who showed, he isn’t discouraged and plans to hold another similar event somewhere else in town in the coming months.

“I’m not going to stop. Sure, I’m disappointed in the turnout, but I hope that everyone here takes what they learn tonight and we move on from that and you pass it on to your friends and neighbours. I hope they found it informative.”

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