The Drumheller Policing Committee has released the results of its survey and pinpoints police visibility as being top of the list of community priorities.
    Every year the Policing Committee makes available a short survey for residents to gauge what they believe are policing priorities. Leading up to the Drumheller RCMP identifying its priorities, the committee tabulates the results of the survey to aid the police.
    Chair of the committee, Larry Coney, says in the last month 294 residents filled out the survey.  While the results are short of last year’s, Coney said one priority many wished to see was a more visible police presence.
    “The majority of the comments were for police to get out of their vehicles and walk about town. Young people under 18 would like to see more presence of the RCMP at schools, especially during peak times, and seniors would just like them to drop in and have a coffee,” said Coney.
    The survey showed that over the last year 41 per cent of the respondents say they have not had contact with the police. Coney says that is a positive.
    “It means they didn’t get tickets, or get arrested, or were victims of crime,” he said.
  Property related crimes were high on the list with 62 per cent saying break and enters were a concern, 55 per cent felt property crimes and vandalism was concerning and 50 per cent cited theft from vehicles.
    Interestingly, break and enter to businesses saw only six per cent of residents naming as a concern.
    Almost 52 per cent of respondents cited drugs and trafficking of drugs as a major concern. Coney says that feeling was high among youths.
    Safety on roadways was also a large concern with 53 per cent saying distracted driving is a priority, 33 per cent saying speeding was a concern and 24 percent said stunting drag racing was an issue.
      The survey also asked what police in the community do well and traffic enforcement ranked high.
Coney said only about one per cent of the comments about traffic enforcement were negative. While the policing committee had heard a few complaints throughout the year, it was not reflected in the survey.
    “Overall people are happy about policing,” said Coney.
    He explains that the survey is made available to the local detachment and the RCMP K Division. The survey can be considered when the local RCMP establishes its priorities.