'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
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Police move on University of B.C. campus protesters
Police have moved on pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, with lines of officers advancing on demonstrators rallying at a main intersection.
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Charges against world's top golfer Scottie Scheffler dropped after arrest outside PGA Championship
Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top male golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.
How Trump's hush money trial verdict could affect the 2024 election
Here is how three potential outcomes from the jury room ─ a guilty verdict, an acquittal or a hung jury ─ could affect the presidential campaign.