Hello again everyone. I want to start this month by sending my heartfelt wishes to anyone who has been unduly affected by the flood that hit us recently. I have been called out to work in the worst hit areas, and I have seen first-hand the devastation that has been caused. Recovery will be a long process, but I know the dedication and determination of the community will see you all through. Please let me know if there is anything more that I, or the service, can do to help.
On a more positive note, the ARGRA rodeo will have taken place by the time you are reading this, and hopefully you will have had the opportunity to get out, have some fun and let your hair down in an effort to get some light relief from the flooding.
The article this month relates to being a good witness, and gives some information about how and when to call, what sort of information would be useful, and what you can expect when you make the call to police.
The Calgary Police Service is committed to crime prevention, but we need your help.
Reporting crime and suspicious behaviour
For an emergency or a crime in progress, call 9-1-1 immediately.
To report suspicious activity, call the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line: 403-266-1234.
The Calgary Police Service also offers a 24-hour Hearing Impaired non-emergency line: 403-538-6147.
You may also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers:
• Talk: 1-800-222-8477
• Type: www.ttttips.com
• Text: "ttttips" to 274637
If in doubt, check it out. If something you have seen seems suspicious, but is not a crime in progress, call the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 and let them know what you have seen.
Being a good witness
Being a good witness is an active process that requires you to continually ask yourself what you are seeing.
Always be on the lookout for:
• Suspicious people or activities.
• Vehicles passing numerous times or suspiciously parked.
• Strangers in your neighbourhood.
• Yelling or screaming - it could indicate fights or domestic/child abuse.
If you are watching an unusual vehicle, take note of:
• Year, make and model
• Colour
• License plate number
• Number of occupants
• Body damage, bumper stickers or decals
• Direction of travel (which street was it parked/driving along when you last saw it)
If you see a person acting suspiciously, take note of:
• Age and gender
• Ethnicity and build
• Height and weight
• Hair colour and length
• Face shape and/or facial hair
• Eye colour and shape
• Clothing type and colour
Partial observations are also important and can help establish time, location and number of people involved in an incident.
What happens when you call 9-1-1
If you call 9-1-1 to report a crime, the 9-1-1 communications officer will ask you questions such as:
• What happened? How long ago?
• Where?
• How many people were involved?
• How would you describe those people? Did they say anything?
• Were they armed with any weapons?
• Did they leave the scene on foot or in a vehicle?
• Which direction were they travelling?
Why should I report a crime to the police?
With Calgary’s growing population, police cannot be everywhere all of the time. Calgarians are the eyes and ears police rely on - and it is important we all work together to prevent crime and keep Calgary a safe place to live and play.
When you come forward to report a crime, you may be taking the first step in helping to prevent further crimes and to protect others from experiencing the same thing. There’s a better chance of arresting a person and charging them with the offence if police are called as soon as possible. Investigations take time and your input is invaluable.
Reporting crime can give you an opportunity to deal with the harm done to you or others. You or someone else may need protection from the person who committed the crime - calling police is vital in ensuring your safety. Never underestimate the power of the information you have. Something as simple as reporting a suspicious person running down the street, or part of the license plate and colour of a vehicle driving around in your neighbourhood could be the missing piece needed to solve a crime.
I hope that this information is useful to you. Ideally you will never have to make a call to police, but if you do then at least you will know what to expect and what is expected of you.
For those of you that attend Stampede (flood recovery permitting), I hope you have a great time, but urge you to take care and look after each other. As always, please feel free to contact me with any issues or concerns.