The Drumheller RCMP and the Drumheller Policing Committee are looking for feedback from residents into policing priorities for the coming year.
Annually, the Drumheller RCMP reviews priorities and works with the policing committee to identify where residents would like to see police focus its attentions.
“It is always good at the time we are doing our annual performance plan, to get more input from the community,” said Fred Makowecki, chair of the Drumheller policing committee.
To that end, they are directing residents to dinosaurvalley.com where there is a short survey that Drumhellerites can fill out anonymously to provide feedback on where they feel police resources should be directed. While the survey is always available, Makowecki says they have revamped it a little bit.
"We have added some questions and added some positive things, places where people can answer what they feel police are doing positive,” said Makowecki.
“It is a form I would like to see evolve so we are getting more information the police need to make good decisions on resources," said Makowecki.
Staff Sergeant Grant MacDonald appreciates working with a dedicated group to assist in identifying these priorities.
“What makes Drumheller stand out is that it has a functional and active policing committee which provides direction, guidance and oversight to us locally,” he said. “In the past, when developing our annual performance plan, I would complete consultations with clients, partners and stakeholders by holding meetings, but I have never had the chance to have an online survey as a component.”
Makowecki says he has seen this process evolve where residents have more say in policing. He has also seen measurable outcomes.
“Now we look at last year's results and see that it really addresses the items we identified last year. They were really a priority,” said Makowecki.
MacDonald says they will be compiling the results of the survey and be completing consultation with stakeholders at the end of March.
"By the third week of April we will identify what these priorities are and
what some of the measurables will be to achieve those objectives,” he said. “What I try to do is make the measurables into something to hold our members at the local detachment accountable so that everybody is contributing to it.”
