Winnipeggers living in the Southdale neighbourhood are looking to get more eyes on the streets to help curb crime. Work has started to create a Citizens on Patrol team in the community, where members would be trained and start walking the streets to deter crime. Kevin Dickson, chair of the Southdale Residents Group, said the idea for the group came from an active Facebook page dedicated to reporting crime in the area. “The idea behind the group is look, observe and report,” he said. The majority of the crime reported on the page is small-scale, such as car break-and-enters. Dickson said organizers are looking to build up a volunteer base of people to start walking the beat, saying a visible presence could help boost security and make people think twice about committing crimes. “Let’s get boots to the ground,” he said. “As a community, let’s get out there and make a presence. Let’s look out for each other and get the crime rate to where we want it to be, and we want it to be zero.” Dickson said volunteers need criminal record checks before they can join the patrol team and vigilantism will not be tolerated. More information about the group can be found on the Southdale Crime Watch and Patrol Facebook page.
