Crime prevention association hosting info expo on Oct. 18

By Tina Comeau

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

Although the word prevention sits in its title, the Yarmouth Town and County Crime Prevention Association hopes nothing will prevent the public from attending a crime prevention information expo the group is putting on Saturday, Oct. 18.

The event, a first for the association, will take place at the Yarmouth Wesleyan Church from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no admission charge. At the expo there will be various booths and ongoing presentations relating to crime prevention.

“I’m really pleased with the topics being covered,” says Cheryl Burchell, a member of the association.

The Tri-County Women’s Centre and Addiction Services will do a presentation on date rape and violence against women. The Yarmouth library will be presenting information on Internet safety.

The Yarmouth town RCMP detachment will have information on elder abuse and the Digby RCMP detachment will be speaking on the issue of seniors’ safety. The Bank of Canada will provide information on the issue of counterfeit money.

Some of the other groups participating include MADD, the Department of Justice, the RCMP’s drug awareness section from Halifax, Canada Border Services Agency, Buckle Up Safety Bear and the crime prevention association itself.

Details on the schedule were still being worked out last week. A schedule will be carried in an advertisement about the expo the crime prevention association is running in the Oct. 14 issue of the Vanguard.

The Yarmouth Town and County Crime Prevention Association is a community consultative group that works in liaison with the RCMP. It was formed in 1991, originally as a group made up of RCMP and business representatives. But over the years it was extended to include the general public who represent various communities throughout the town and county. The people who serve on the association are volunteers.

And what is the association’s primary goal? To increase awareness about crime prevention and put programs in place to help people protect themselves against crime. It helps to identify problems relating to crime and wherever possible, provide solutions.

For instance a couple of years ago when the Wedgeport area was having problems with a rash of vandalism, the association worked with the community and the police to help the village set up a satellite RCMP office and initiate a community watch program.

But although the crime prevention association has been on the scene since he early 1990s, Burchell says the group is still unknown to much of the public. The association has been trying to increase its visibility by taking part in parades, having a presence during the annual police week displays and last year it went into local schools to do presentations on bicycle safety.

“It’s a wonderful group of people and their hearts are really in the right place,” Burchell says. Yet still, a lot of people don’t know they exist.

It’s hoped that aside from providing valuable information to people from all walks of life and all ages – from youth to seniors – the information expo will also help to increase the profile of the crime prevention association in the community.

More information can also be learned about the crime prevention association by visiting the association’s website: www.yarmouthcrimeprevention.com.