A pilot program in Moose Jaw aimed at addressing drug use and other unwanted behaviour downtown has helped residents feel more comfortable returning to public spaces. Visible Proactive Engagement Response Safety Patrol (ViPER) is a special street team tasked with addressing drug use and other behaviours considered undesirable in Moose Jaw’s downtown, with a special focus on Crescent Park. “I am super pleased with the results. The feedback from the community has been overwhelming. The visibility of the Viper throughout our downtown and in areas like Crescent Park to be quite candid we had lost as a city,” said Moose Jaw Police Chief Robert Davis. Police have heard from residents who previously avoided Crescent Park because of concerns about drug use, discarded needles and other behaviour. “We’re seeing young families with their young children, toddlers enjoying the park without the fear of needles or negative behaviour,” Davis said. “We are seeing seniors who have shared with me that they haven’t gone to the park in three, four years taking the time to walk there every day.” The program employed four students interested in becoming police officers and received $68,000 from the provincial government. Justice Minister Tim McLeod said programs such as ViPER can supplement police resources by providing an additional presence in the community. “We know that police officers are not able to be everywhere at all times and that’s why programs like this are so incredibly valuable,” he said. ViPER team member Aiden MacDonald says one of the most rewarding parts of the program was seeing changes in some of the people the team interacted with throughout the summer. “Some [of the] individuals out there you see them from the lowest of the low, you talk to them through the summer and then all of a sudden they’re a lot better. They’re sober now. They’re in society as well-rounded people,” he said. Moose Jaw police hope to bring back a team for next summer’s tourist season. The province believes a similar initiative could work in other communities and will entertain funding requests.
