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Citizens Groups

Citizen Crime Watch

RCMP Horse and Rider

Richmond Citizens' Crime Watch Patrol was established in Richmond in 1983. It is a community based program that involves citizens patrolling their community, assisting the police in detecting and preventing crime.

Richmond Citizens Crime Watch volunteers patrol in their own vehicles, with a partner, acting as additional eyes and ears for the police. Program participants have no direct contact with offenders. A VHF radio is supplied for each vehicle being used for patrol purposes. Any suspicious criminal activity, (i.e. persons, vehicles or incidents) is reported to a base station, which in turn reports to the police. These incidents are evaluated by the police who then arrange the appropriate response.

CCWP now carries a lightweight portable computer loaded with an up-to-date bank of stolen vehicle information. When a suspected stolen vehicle is spotted, they radio the police who check out the information with CPIC. If the vehicle is verified stolen, police attend to take appropriate actions. The program has been a tremendous success. In Vancouver, the rate of stolen vehicles recovered by Citizens' Crime Watch increased from 35 in 1993 to 271 in 1995. Now, Stolen Auto Recovery is spreading out to communities around the province.

Patrol members will stand-by until police arrive (this can change, if the police are too busy to show or after consultation with the base operator, the unit may continue its patrol). They will NOT take an active role in any law enforcement.

The police will control the situation at all times. Patrol members are to take direction from attending police members.

Notebooks are to be kept by each patrol member.

Patrol members are answerable to the Crime Watch Coordinator and to Community Policing, Richmond RCMP Detachment.

Volunteering
Qualifications to become a Richmond Citizens' Crime Watch Patrol member:
  • Minimum 19 years old
  • Clean driving record
  • Minimum five hours per month
  • One year commitment
  • Willing to undergo RCMP screening

For more information contact the Program Coordinator, Vena Lanji
Phone: 604-264-3588
Fax: 604-666-6257
Email: rccwp@vcn.bc.ca
Website: www.vcn.bc.ca/rccwp


Police and Community . . ."working together to prevent crime"