'Here to help': The Watch celebrating 5 years of patrolling Lethbridge streets
Volunteers with ‘The Watch’ program in Lethbridge have been patrolling the city centre rain or shine for five years.
“I feel amazing about our program and what we have done in the five years,” said Tashiah Robbins, who has been with The Watch since it started on May 1, 2019.
What began as a three-year Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) pilot project to enhance community safety during the opioid crisis has grown to become a full-time unit within LPS.
“Knowing that we work for the police department was a huge barrier when we first started,” said Shane Kisinger, manager of The Watch.
“So, it took a lot for (volunteers) to build a rapport with the at-risk population and get to know them, but I think what that means to them is that they know we are on the street 12 hours a day, every single day except for holidays, and we are safe, consistent and professional.”
The Watch has had 100 volunteers and 33 team leads serving a total of 18,666 hours since 2019.
“We had a little of growing pains near the beginning, but where we are now, the unhoused population love to talk to us, they know that we are here to help them,” Robbins said.
Since launching, The Watch has dealt with 31,990 calls with police, EMS or wellness checks.
They’ve completed 1,235 safe walks, transported 2,001 individuals and provided Narcan to 199 overdose calls.
“We’ve had some high numbers,” Kisinger explained. “If you look at 2022, that was really busy year for us as well. It seems this year is slowing down compared to years in the past so hopefully we're not as busy because being busy means there's social problems are the streets.”
While the majority of The Watch is comprised of volunteers, there are a handful of full-time paid staff members.
Kenlin Dijkstra has been a team lead with The Watch since October. He, like many who volunteer, is hoping to pursue a career in the policing industry.
“It's not an easy thing to ask someone to come and serve their community and then also not get paid for it,” Dijkstra said.
“So, it's just amazing the work and effort they put into it and you definitely see a difference that they make.”
With May 1 marking five years in service, Kisinger applauds the work done by LPS and the volunteers, but also gives credit to the community they serve.
“How we've been able to be successful for the last five years is definitely, half of it, is how the at-risk population treat us and they treat us quite well,” he added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a nine-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
Nicki Minaj detained by police in Amsterdam for allegedly possessing soft drugs
American rapper Nicki Minaj said she was held at Amsterdam Schiphol airport on Saturday on allegation of possession of soft drugs.
1 dead, 3 in hospital after flying wheel crashes into bus windshield on QEW
A man is dead, and three others are in hospital after a flying wheel crashed into a coach bus on the QEW in St. Catharines.
BREAKING Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
Public safety minister pledges to 'massively' reduce auto theft
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc insists the federal government is 'doing everything (it) can' to eliminate auto thefts in Canada, and he hopes to see 'a significant reduction quickly' following this week's announcement of new measures to counter the problem.