While Regina’s downtown is home to many restaurants and businesses, some people in the city are often deterred from going to the area for several reasons.
While some talk about the lack of parking, others point to the significant crime in the area.
Anna Gardikiotis is the owner of the Copper Kettle. She calls Regina police for assistance at least once or twice a week for issues like vandalism.
“We’ve seen an uptick in graffiti and police encourage us to report it, but unlike other neighbourhoods, we don’t have a lot of residents who do report those things,” she said. “So I always encourage all my peers to report all those incidents.”
In order to address security concerns in the area, Regina police are recruiting alternate response officers to assist in situations downtown and help patrol the area.
“It’s just that visibility and adding somebody in uniform who can provide assistance to people,” Lorilee Davies, the Regina police deputy chief, said.
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Davies said the special constables will serve as a support for officers in three key areas: directly assisting vulnerable people, providing enforcement support by taking statements or directing traffic, and helping with investigations.
“We really think that connection to businesses and people who live and work downtown will be really valuable,” she explained.
Gardikiotis is hopeful this change will improve safety in the area.
“We are very happy to hear about these additional resources coming on board because especially as a downtown business, we see the gaps (in service),” she said. “Not everything needs to end in arrest. But we need more assistance.”
The program is a joint investment by the Regina Police Service and the provincial government and has been running in Saskatoon’s downtown for about two years.
According to the Saskatoon police the program has been very successful. More funding was announced to help grow the team to 15 members as of June 1.
Just like in Saskatoon, the Regina constables will have a slightly different look from police officers and they will not be armed.
Gardikiotis believes the presence of additional officers will continue the positive trend of safety in the area.
“Just the very presence is a deterrent,” she said. “The presence of people in public and eyeballs is a deterrent to that dysfunctional behavior in our society for sure. And so that’s why we’re really happy to hear that we’re getting that program here in Regina.”
The new officers are expected to begin their duties in the fall.
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