Citizens on Patrol has returned to the streets of Clinton.
Clinton RCMP Const. Marika Masters has revived the program, which involves volunteers patrolling the streets, watching for speeding, and assisting law enforcement in keeping their community safe. Fourteen volunteers are enrolled in the program, which Masters says will focus on “speed watch” for now, to avoid having two people being in one car at the same time due to COVID-19.
“I came up with the idea after receiving several complaints from the community regarding speeding through town,” she says. “I’m super excited. It’s really nice to see these people so engaged and ready to give back to their community. I think it’s going to be really positive for Clinton.”
Masters felt that there was no better way to get actual numbers on how many people driving through Clinton go over the speed limit than by getting concerned community members to help them compile the data for the Ministry of Transportation and the Village of Clinton. She recruited her team over the summer, and has just finished training them. They are now out in the community watching Highway 97 through town.
So far the response from the broader community has been great, Masters says, noting a lot of people are waving at the patrol members. They are already seeing people beginning to slow down and check their speed.
The new group falls under the umbrella of the 100 Mile House Citizens on Patrol. The previous Citizens on Patrol group in Clinton folded a few years ago, Master says, and up until this year there had not been enough interest from the community to get a new one started.
She adds that she is not looking for more volunteers at this time, as there are few duties to give them, but she is hopeful that the community will continue to show its support and appreciation for the patrol members.
If anyone wants to know more about Citizens on Patrol, or suggest places where they could set up speed watches in and around Clinton, Masters invites them to give her a call at the Clinton detachment at (250) 459-2221.
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