Crime “hotspots” in Chilliwack and other Fraser Valley communities have been identified so residents and businesses can keep their eyes open and report suspicious activity to police.
The public awareness campaign is the next phase of a policing model in which an analyst identifies crime “hotspots” in a community, so police patrols and other crime-fighting resources can be focused there with greatest effect.
The success of the policing model so far, adopted last year by the Upper Fraser Valley Regional RCMP detachment, has prompted police officials to now bring the public into the picture with monthly “hotspot” bulletins.
“The message is: ‘be vigilant,'” RCMP Const. Tracy Wolbeck said. “That message is going to be the same every month, unless there’s something significantly different in one of those (hotspot) areas.”
The hotspots that saw more property crimes over the last 28 days are:
In Chilliwack: Fairfield Island, north of the Menzies Street bridge on Hope River Road; Strathcona Road; Fairbanks Crescent and Emerald Drive.
In Downtown Chilliwack: Between Young Road and Williams Street, just north of Princess Avenue and south of Bonny Avenue.
In Garrison Crossing: the base of Promontory Road and the northern part of the Garrison Crossing residential area.
In Yarrow: From Boundary Road to Wilson Road between Vedder Canal and Majuba Hill.
In Agassiz: The downtown area focusing on Pioneer Avenue and Agassiz Avenue.
In Hope: The downtown area around Memorial Park and the Silver Skagit area.
