This week is Crime Prevention Week in the Province of Ontario and the theme is “Safer. Stronger. Together.” with the emphasis on a community approach to addressing criminal incidents and issues related to safety and well-being.
Bracebridge Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) collaborates with community partners on a regular basis to participate in a more holistic approach to community safety. Many of these are preventative measures such as the Muskoka Situation Table where community partners throughout the District of Muskoka meet on a bi-weekly basis to discuss areas of elevated concern, the OPP Mental Health Outreach Team which involves a police officer and a mental health response member from the Canadian Mental Health Association (MPS) and School Resource program.
Members of the public continue to be the most important partner in community safety. Crime prevention involves all of us working together and sharing the responsibility of making our homes, neighbourhoods, and workplaces healthy and safe. Information and collaboration between the public, police and of our community partners increases the well-being of our communities.
Crime Prevention Tips
• Call 9-1-1 if you witness a crime in progress or a possible crime in progress (e.g., break and enter) or a dangerous situation.
• Anonymously contact Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by texting “Tip 201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
• Lock It OR Lose It! Secure your vehicles & home.
• Increase street visibility around your house so that neighbours and others can see if someone is in your yard or trying your door locks.
• If your home is on a corner lot, your risk of burglary increases, so be sure to take additional security precautions.
• Thieves prefer residents not to be home, so leave lights on, get your mail collected, and take other steps to make it look like someone is home.
• Thieves like easy pickings, so target harden your home with outside lighting, good locks, alarms, and other home protection devices.
• Reach out, volunteer, and participate in your community.
• Get to know your neighbours. When you see something suspicious, don’t hesitate to call police – promptness promotes prevention.
• Anticipate – observe – report – participate – PREVENT
