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Recent events in our community have brought the topics of safety and security into sharper focus. In the last six months there have been several alarming events that have increased resident concern and heightened our collective anxiety around crime, security, and overall community safety. Among these recent incidents were a homicide, discharge of a firearm, arson, and multiple stabbings. In addition, like most other communities, we experience more trespassers, break-ins, theft, vandalism, and other non-violent crime than desired.

 

Following the recent events on 8th Avenue which attracted a very intense police response, your Inglewood Community Association has been actively engaged with the Calgary Police Service to understand the ongoing risk to neighbours and the broader community. Among the actions taken were preparing this communication and inviting Calgary Police to attend our January Community Association meeting, where they discussed recent crime trends and answered resident questions. Like you, we are passionate advocates for our community and wish to do everything possible to ensure it remains safe, secure and an attractive place to live and raise a family.

 

As a Board, we recently convened to discuss potential community-based responses to enhance safety and security. We have developed the following five community safety principles which we are now sharing with Inglewood residents. This approach to community safety is based on the principles of caring for one another, and a shared sense of personal and collective responsibility to our community. Please feel free to share this with your friends in other communities. What we have prepared below are simple, common-sense actions to enhance community safety and deter criminal activity. If each of us does our own small part, we can collectively have a major positive impact on community safety and security.

 

Principle 1 – Be Informed

It is important that we are all aware of what is happening in our community. While Calgary Police will notify relevant parties when there is a high level of imminent risk to them, we cannot expect the police to notify us of every incident as they simply don’t have the resources or the mandate to do so. We can, however, make a small investment in time and effort to get informed ourselves. Here are a few tips on how to do so:

• Get to know your neighbors and regularly discuss community issues including safety and security issues

• Become a member of the Inglewood Community Association and attend monthly General Meetings at the Community Hall

• Research crime statistics using the Calgary Police Service crime map (https://www.calgary.ca/cps/statistics/crime-map.html)

• Monitor community social media pages including Facebook (Inglewood/Ramsay Crime Page), Nextdoor and Lightcatch to stay abreast of activity in your community

 

Principle 2 – Be Vigilant

As the saying goes, “it takes a village”. Well, it also takes a village to ensure community safety. The starting point is a joint sense of caring for one another and a willingness to look out for the safety and security of others, and of each other’s property. There are many things we can do to increase the level of vigilance in our community:

• Get to know your neighbours and keep an eye out for suspicious activity; communicate regularly

• Watch your neighbour’s home while they are out of town

• Use lights strategically, including using timers to give would-be thieves or vandals the impression you are home

• Install motion-activated flood lights to illuminate your yard when unwanted individuals visit your home

• Don’t assume everything is ok; if you see something suspicious, take note of the details and notify those affected

 

Principle 3 – Report Crimes and Suspicious Activity

If crime goes unreported, nobody benefits. Police have no way of knowing there is an issue, criminals feel liberated to return for more, additional people experience loss or harm, and the community as a whole suffers. If we want to ensure Inglewood is a safe place, it is incumbent upon all of us to notify the authorities when we see crime or suspicious activity.

 

• Call 9-1-1 when you see a crime in progress or any dangerous or imminent threats, including suspicious activity where you believe there is an imminent threat to a person or property

• Call the Calgary Police non-emergency line (403-266-1234) to report non-urgent crime, crime after the fact (such as vandalism or stolen property), or suspicious activity where you believe there is not an imminent threat to a person or property

• To report a minor crime that has occurred in the past (such as theft from vehicle, vandalism, etc.), use the Calgary Police Service “report a crime” web page: (https://www.calgary.ca/cps/report-a-crime.html)

• Do not approach or get involved with dangerous situations. Remain at safe distance and call police

 

Principle 4 - Notify the Community

We live in an age of abundance where it comes to communication, and this includes community-related communication. Apps like Facebook (Inglewood/Ramsay Crime Page), Nextdoor, and Lightcatch provide forums for community members to communicate and stay abreast of current events.

 

In addition to notifying police when you witness crimes or suspicious activity, we encourage Inglewood residents to also notify one another using available platforms, including Facebook, Nextdoor, and Lightcatch. If you are not yet a member of Inglewood resident groups you can easily join by searching for Inglewood (Calgary, not California) and requesting to join the community group. Once you are engaged in these online groups you can post and follow the posts of others.

 

Neighbours can also setup chat groups using SMS, WhatsApp, and other chat apps to regularly communicate with one another, allowing for rapid notification when there are urgent or safety-related incidents occurring in their neighbourhoods.

 

Principle 5 – Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved in your community, and to influence public policy in relation to community safety and security. Here are a few ways you can get involved and ensure your voice is heard:

 

• Join social media community groups on apps like Facebook (Inglewood/Ramsay Crime Page), Nextdoor, and Lightcatch and actively participate

• Join the Inglewood Community Association and come out to our monthly General Meetings

• Sign-up for the Inglewood Community Association email blasts and read the monthly community newsletter (available on our website and delivered to your home monthly)

• Attend community events and get to know members of your community

• Write to city council (Inglewood Councillor is Gian-Carlo Carra) and to the mayor (Jyoti Gondek), to influence Calgary policing policy and community policing protocols

• Write to your Member of the Legislative Assembly (Joe Ceci) or the Premier of Alberta (Danielle Smith) to express your views or offer your perspective on matters of provincial jurisdiction including policing, public safety, mental health services and social services 

• Write to your Member of Parliament (Greg McLean) or to the Prime Minister of Canada (Justin Trudeau) to express your views or offer your perspective on matters of federal jurisdiction including the Criminal Code, sentencing, bail conditions, parole, and other matters related to criminal justice