'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
Court eases internet restrictions for Sask. man who had sex with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi still missing after helicopter accident in mountains
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday, sparking a massive rescue operation in a fog-shrouded forest as the public was urged to pray.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Ex-partner charged with first-degree murder after 55-year-old woman killed in Montreal
Less than 24 hours after Montreal's 12th homicide investigation began, Montreal police confirmed that a 55-year-old woman's death in St. Michel is the island's 13th homicide. The woman's ex-spouse has been charged with first-degree murder.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Toxic drugs circulating in northeastern Ont., police say
Canada’s largest First Nations police service, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service issued a community safety alert as extremely toxic drugs are likely circulating in many of the communities it serves.