At the April 22 regular Council meeting, Okotoks Town Council approved the 2024 Municipal Enforcement priorities and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Annual Performance Plan. A majority of respondents expressed satisfaction with the overall level of safety in our community. However, there were pockets of concern in certain neighbourhoods, particularly regarding traffic enforcement, unsightly premises and animals at large.
“These priorities are reflective of community input and provide opportunities for targeted and coordinated efforts of both Town of Okotoks Peace Officers and RCMP members,” said Mayor Tanya Thorn. “This is the first time Administration has coordinated the responses to develop an annual plan for both agencies.”
The online survey and Public Safety Open House provided feedback on the community’s public safety perceptions during the 2023 calendar year. Feedback from both engagement opportunities were compiled to help inform the RCMP Annual Performance Plan and Okotoks Municipal Enforcement priorities.
“Your community input plays a crucial role in helping us shape public safety priorities of both the RCMP and Municipal Enforcement,” said Vikram Kulkarni, municipal enforcement manager for the Town of Okotoks. “Thank you to each person who made time to participate in our annual public safety survey and to those who attended the public safety open house.”
“Identifying safety priorities in Okotoks is a collaborative effort between us all,” said John Klassen, acting Detachment Commander for the Okotoks RCMP. “Thank you to those who took time to complete the online community safety survey and who came out to personally meet with local RCMP and Municipal Enforcement to express your gratitude, and to share your opinions, contributions and concerns. Inputs like this allow us to further strengthen the areas of safety focus that matters most to this community.”
The survey was available to the Okotoks community from March 13 to April 1, resulting in 469 responses. The Public Safety Open House had 65 community members in attendance.
Okotoks Municipal Enforcement priorities:
The Okotoks Municipal Enforcement identified the below priorities for improvement as part of the 2024 Public Safety Survey.
1. Provincial traffic safety
2. School zone safety
3. Bylaw enforcement
Okotoks RCMP priorities:
Each year the RCMP deploy their resources based on an Annual Performance Plan (APP). The APP is a strategic blend of provincial and local priorities intended to reflect the public safety priorities of our community. For 2024, the three policing priorities were established through the Okotoks Detachment leadership team based on local community consultation reflecting the most recent community concerns:
Policing priorities:
1. Crime reduction
2. Proactive police visibility
3. Community involvement and communication
Check out the What We Heard Report to learn more about the RCMP’s Annual Policing Plan and Municipal Enforcement priorities, or visit okotoks.ca/policing-services