Bringing the community and RCMP together

Communications committee looks to bridge the gap between public and police

When Chestermere RCMP Detachment Commander Staff Sgt. Mark Wielgosz created the Chestermere’s Police Communications Link Committee his goal was to improve communication and seek input from Chestermere residents.

“When you look at the true community policing concept the police are only a small portion of how we deal with crime [and] how we keep our community safe.

“And we can’t do that without the participation and help of the community, this is one way for the community to bring their concerns forward,” said Wielgosz of the committee.

For Wielgosz, the committee is another tool that he can use to gather input from the community and create enhanced consultation with residents about what area’s they would like to see the police focus on.

“What I was looking for was to create a committee that was a cross section representation of our community,” he said, “that way concerns from the committee [representing] all of these different groups could bring forward their concerns to myself with respect for their perception of crime and where they would like to see their police activities focused.”

The committee fills gap in Wielgosz’s community consultations.

“I do heavily consult with the community, with our elected officials and key stakeholders and our school principals and even our chamber of commerce but then there’s that piece that’s missing, the true link to the community.” he said.

The committee, which has been made to represent the diversity of Chestermere as much as possible, provides that community link.

Committee Chair Paul Nuttall said that the role of the committee is to bridge the gap between the police and residents.

“There’s been a big gap between the public and the police.

“Our role is we liaison between the public and the police,” said Nuttall.

“For the most part, we just let them know what’s going on with the police and what they’re doing to keep the community safe,” he said.

Wielgosz believes that its important to provide the community with this clearer picture of what the local police do.

“Typically, in any community, the public at large really doesn’t know a lot about what the police do besides what you see in the headlines,” said Wielgosz.

Some of the ways they do this is through their Facebook page, Chestermere Community Police Liaison Link, as well as their involvement within their own personal communities of friends and neighbours.

Nuttall said that one example of this is his daughter’s school council.

“I also chair the school council,” he said.

“Any information that’s important for them I bring back to the committee and share it and then I also share with them what we talk about here provided it’s not top-secret stuff,” said Nuttall.

For committee member and retired Calgary Police Officer Tej Cheema he feels it’s important to help make the public understand that the police are approachable.

“When you put a uniform on it creates a certain distance between the public,” he said.

“Then you put the officers in a patrol car and the gap widens,” said Cheema.

He said that the majority of people won’t have any interactions with the police, but should they become a victim of crime or get a speeding ticket, Cheema wants people to understand who the police are.

“We’re just human beings with just a shirt on,” he said, “they’re your friends but they also have a job to do.”

Cheema said that the committee also fulfills important roles in educating the public about current police activities a potential crime in the city.

“There’s a multiple of tasks that you do but the important thing is to close that gap to let them know the officers are human beings,” said Cheema.

Committee Vice-chair Paul Dumouchet joined the committee to help make his community safer.

By helping to educate Chestermere residents about things they can do, such as locking their vehicles, to deter crime, Dumouchet said that they can improve the safety of the city.

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to Canada's local news from their platforms, Anchor Media Inc encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this site and downloading the Rogue Radio App. Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to info@anchormedia.ca.

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Staff Writer

Staff Writer

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, Anchor Media Inc encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this site and downloading the Rogue Radio App. Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to info@anchormedia.ca


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