Citizens On Patrol in Alberta is starting to grow again after taking a hit for the past couple of years during COVID. Crime continues to grow, and so the opportunity to start the Citizens On Patrol program in new communities is getting increased interest. Recently, ACOPA released a video titled “Why Your Community Needs Citizens On Patrol”. While this video was produced in Alberta, it applies to every community across Canada. Have a look and feel free to share.
Alberta has been busy getting several videos produced, some of which are animated: Prevent Auto Theft, Prevent Theft of Catalytic Convertors, A Day in the Life of a Stolen Vehicle and a Day in the life of the Victim of a Stolen Vehicle. These videos will all be posted on the ACOPA website and also on our YouTube channel.
In 2024, ACOPA has 43 Citizens On Patrol groups operating with 645 volunteers. In the past 12 months, the volunteers have driven 70,241 kilometers over 6152 hours. Special event hours totaled 4946 hours and administration hours totaled 3550 hours. These numbers are low as not all groups are up to date with their reporting.
ACOPA will be holding its annual Workshop/AGM in Red Deer the weekend of September 13, 14 and 15. This is an excellent opportunity for new members to attend and meet members from other communities. Specialized speakers will be presenting as well as Training opportunities.
ACOPA has a Trainer who is a retired RCMP who has worked with many Citizens On Patrol groups in his career. This trainer offers training at the Workshop as well as he travels to communities with new groups to get the volunteers started and ready for patrolling.