woodbuffalo POLICINGand+Bylaw/... · Recruiting Poster..... 9. 2 The weather is nicer and we’re...

JUNE 2013, VolUmE #4 IssUE #6

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

COMMUNITY woodbuffalo POLICING

June 2013,Volume #4 Issue #6 The Royal Canadian

Mounted Police Wood Buffalo Detachment

Fort McMurray, AB

Girl Power!

The 6th Annual Girl Power conference was held on May 15th, at the Syncrude Sport and wellness Centre. The event, open to all grade five girls within the regional Municipality of wood Buffalo, was organized by the Be Fit For life group from Keyano College and promotes healthy living through physical activity and a balanced life-style.

The Community Policing Unit was invited to attend and challenged the girls with a vigorous ‘Uniform Run’ that is similar in nature to what RCmP members and cadets can expect to experience during training. The run consisted of an obstacle course, a pull-station and a weighted bag carry. To some this may sound easy enough, however each participant had to complete the course and subsequent activities wearing a weighted duty belt and a Kevlar vest. The training exercise was made to simulate potential day-to-day physical demands a police officer may face while dressed in full working uniform.

Csts. Natasha lytwenko, Erika mcGrattan and Ashley Quallie facilitated the activity and also took the opportunity to answer questions about women joining various policing organization such as the RCmP. Despite some minor muscles aches, a good time was had by all, and the Community Policing Unit is looking forward to taking part again next year.

in This issue

Positive Youth Interactions ......... 2

Giddy-up for the Bike Rodeo! .... 2

Helicopter Rides for the Finalists 3

Fort mcmurray Air services History ........................................ 3

RCmP Attending Events and Activities in the Community ....... 4

law Day, métis Festival and Celtic Day .............................. 4

Alberta Crime Prevention Week . 5

Identity Theft & Cyber safety ...... 5

The mystery has been solved .... 6

Commercial Vehicle safety Focus .......................................... 6

Family safety Day ....................... 7

Farewell Cst. Jones ..................... 7

VsU Reg Ball Poster .................... 8

Recruiting Poster ........................ 9

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The weather is nicer and we’re all going out to enjoy it. over the last few weeks several members from the wood Buffalo Detachment have been out in the community interacting with youth and partaking in some of the fun activities, both inside and out.

PoSiTive YouTh inTerACTionS

GiDDY-uP For TheBiKe roDeo!Cst. erika McGrattan, a Bike Patrol and Community Policing Member, attended the Syncrude Sport and wellness Centre on a few separate occasions during the month of May to join a playgroup of 3-4 year-olds in a good ol’ fashion bike rodeo!

The police officer talked about bike and traffic safety highlighting some of the rules and laws that all must adhere to in order to stay safe on the roads and trails in our community.

Cst. mcGrattan also showed each of the youngsters and their parents how a bike helmet needs to be properly fitted to maximize injury protection in the event of an impact. A good time was had by all, and by the end of it the novice cyclists were tearing up the course set-up inside one of the field houses and implementing the new skills they learned!

Cst. Jana Lloy found a great way to cool-off in the warm weatherat the spray park in Timberlea.

Cpl. Byron Wilkins spent time reading to a group of preschool aged children and also talking about when to call 9-1-1.

Cst. Kyle Rose dropped by the Out-School Care program at Father Turcotte School to shoot some hoops with the children.

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heliCoPTer riDeS For The FinAliSTS

provided rapid access into Fort Chipewyan, Janvier and other rural and/or isolated areas.

manufactured by Bell Helicopters, the Fort mcmurray machine, along with its additional police equipment cost approximately $600,000 to acquire. Air services has since moved the helicopter from Fort mcmurray to areas with higher population density but police helicopters can still be seen in our region when they are called to assist with investigations. Today the RCmP has over 30 aircraft in fleet, 10 of which are helicopters that provide support in maintaining peace and security for all of Canada.

The rCMP Air Services Section has been in existence since 1937 and includes various different aircraft both of the fixed-wing and rotary-blade variety.

In 1976, the first RCmP helicopter for the province of Alberta (K Division) was maintained and operated out of the Wood Buffalo area. During this era, the Division’s Air services consisted mainly of fixed-wing aircraft that were based out of Edmonton, Calgary and Grand Prairie, and the only chopper found its home in Fort mcmurray.

s/Cst. steve seiffert, an RCmP pilot, and s/Cst. Dick Knowles, an RCmP mechanic, were among the first to crew the police chopper. s/Cst. Doug mcKay, who became the first RCmP helicopter pilot in 1971 (when the force acquired its first rotary-blade aircraft), was also one

of the pilots that flew the first-ever K Division helicopter, and later-on filled in for s/Cst. seiffert when he was on leave.

The helicopter was very useful to have servicing the northern part of the province given its versatility, its ability to hover and land in remote areas. These attributes were especially handy in conducting searches and as such the chopper and its crew were often called to duty in other areas of the province. Naturally, RCmP helicopters are still used in a similar capacity today to assist in various investigations.

Although the Fort mcmurray-based helicopter (actually stationed and serviced out of the Gregoire Park area) assisted in other areas of the province, it was estimated that 50% of its flight time was logged doing work within the region and

ForT MCMurrAY Air ServiCeS hiSTorY – rCMP’S eYe in The SKY

on May 24th, the Centennial Crest Competition Finalists were treated to helicopter rides courtesy of Phoenix heli-Flight.

The creators of the three finalist submissions were each taken up for a 30 minute tour and were given the opportunity to bring friends or family members along to enjoy the ride.

The Centennial Crest Competition was held in November 2012, and open to all youth within the region. The finalists were selected based on creativity and design, with the winner being announced at the Wood Buffalo RCmP Centennial launch in January, 2013. The crest has also since been unveiled and special Centennial Vehicle Decals have been affixed to all operational marked police cars.

The afternoon weather was perfect for an aerial tour of Fort mcmurray and the finalist thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Thank you to Phoenix Heli-Flight for making this an outstanding experience for our young finalists.

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lAw DAYon May 25th, members of the Community Policing unit, along with the rCMP Safety Bear and Alberta Sheriffs, attended law Day held at the Fort McMurray Provincial Courthouse.

Activities included in this year’s event, and open for public engagement, were mock-trials, informational booths, courthouse tours and a display of the various law enforcement vehicles.

law Day is an annual celebration and commemoration of our nation’s adoption of the Charter. The on-going goal of law Day is to increase public awareness and foster a better understanding of our laws and how the legal system works.

on Friday, May 24th, Fort McMurray Métis local 1935 held their annual Métis Festival. Among those in attendance were wood Buffalo rCMP members, Cst. Deborah wenisch and Cst. Sam hilliard who were honored to attend the festival in traditional red Serge.

The festivities began with an opening ceremony with guest speakers mayor melissa Blake and mlA mike Allen to name a few. During these speeches, local 1935’s President, James Dragon, was presented with a certificate of recognition by mlA Allen. Following the opening ceremony, youth were given the opportunity to partake in many activities, and feast on traditional food such as bannock and fried fish. overall, the event was well attended again this year and attendees were able to enjoy the great traditional culture of the métis.

rCMP ATTenD evenTS AnD ACTiviTieS in The CoMMuniTYThe wood Buffalo rCMP attend community events and activities within the communities that we serve all throughout the year.

The month of may saw RCmP members from Community Policing and other units attend a variety of different festivities.

Anyone wishing to have a member of the RCmP, or monty the safety Bear, attend their event can make a request by emailing fort_mcmurray_cpvs@rcmp-grc.gc.ca by calling 780.788.4245, or via message on the Facebook page ‘wood Buffalo Community Policing’.

MéTiS FeSTivAl

CelTiC DAYon May 25th, Monty, the rCMP Mascot, along with his Community Policing entourage attended Celtic Day at heritage Park where he hung out with highland Dancers and enjoyed the music of the Mudmen.

monty made his rounds, meeting Chieftain of the Day - Angus Campbell, ‘helped’ lift a car following the strongman Demonstration, and learned a thing or two about the Caber toss!

Celtic Day, celebrating the traditions of the Celtic cultures, kicked-off the season opening of Heritage Park.

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identity theft has been in existence for some time, but given the advances of technology, such crime and other related crimes are more prevalent than before.

Identity theft occurs when someone wrongfully obtains and uses the personal identifying information of another individual to commit a crime such as fraud or theft. By using an individual’s basic information (name, address, social insurance number, date of birth, mother’s maiden name) identity thieves may gain access to bank accounts, apply for loans/credit cards, lease/buy cars, rent property and/or engage in criminal activity that ultimately gets associated to an unsuspecting victim.

To curb the opportunity of would-be identity thieves ensure that you are very careful with your personal information, regardless of the format it is in, especially when it comes time to discard items. Earlier in may, the Wood Buffalo RCmP teamed-up with Alberta motor Association and shred-it to provide residents the opportunity to bring-in their identity sensitive waste for secure destruction.

successful crime prevention, including identity theft, is also related to safe internet usage practices. The following are a few cyber-crime prevention tips that would apply to even the most basic internet user.• Use strong Passwords: Use different user ID/password combinations for different accounts and avoid writing them down. make the passwords more complicated by combining letters, numbers, and special characters and change them on a regular basis.• secure Your Computer: Activate firewalls as they are the

first line of defense and block connections to unknown or bogus sites that may have harmful components. A secondary line of defense is to install and keep updated anti-virus software on your computer.• Be social-media savvy: make sure your social networking profiles are set to private, and be careful of what you post online. once posted or sent, it’s out there forever!• secure your mobile Devices: Be aware that your mobile device(s) is vulnerable to viruses and hackers just like a computer would be. only download applications from trusted sources.• Install the latest operating system Updates: Keep your application and operating system current with the latest system updates. Turn on automatic updates to prevent potential attacks on older software.• Protect Your Data: Use encryption for your most sensitive files such as tax returns or other financial records. make regular back-ups of all your important data and store it in another location.• secure Your Wireless Network: Wi-Fi networks at home are vulnerable to intrusion if they are not properly secured. Review and modify the settings to ensure only authorized users have access. Public Wi-Fi, or ‘Hot spots’ are also vulnerable. Avoid conducting financial or corporate transactions on these networks.• Protect Your E-Identity: Be cautious when giving out personal information or financial information on the Internet. make sure websites are secure (while making online purchases) or that you’ve enabled privacy settings (when accessing social media sites).

iDenTiTY TheFT AnD CYBer SAFeTY

AlBerTA CriMe PrevenTion weeKAlberta Crime Prevention week 2013 took place from May 12-18, and is a great tool to create and further awareness, about safety and taking steps to prevent crime.

This is a time to promote community safety and a reminder that each and every person, not just the police, has a vital part to play in making the communities that we call home a safe place to live.

The concept of raising awareness about crime prevention has been in existence for many years. Crime Prevention Week began in 1983 when the federal government promoted the first week of November as National Crime Prevention Week. In 1992, the Alberta Justice and solicitor General began organizing the week

with a provincial focus. In 1993, the week was moved to the month of may to coincide with National Police Week, also an annual event, dedicated to community awareness and recognition of police services while strengthening ties with the community.

In the recent weeks, the Wood Buffalo RCmP has partnered with a few community groups to raise awareness related to crime prevention. on may 14th and 16th, Community Policing members attended the two Royal Bank locations in town with members of the Victim services Unit to hand-out Business Crime Prevention kits and personal safety information.

Crime prevention consists of proactive, non-punitive measures

which have the goal of addressing and/or removing factors which contribute to crime. There is a wide array of crime prevention approaches that are implemented on a variety of different levels and many of them start with individual community members.

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Buffalo RCmP Community Policing Unit, were on hand at the event to assist the students and ‘Dr. Edacity’ (a renowned forensic scientist who specializes in debunking cases using science) in unraveling the mystery. students participated in activities such as making footprint impressions, fingerprint hunting, reading hand-writing samples and sifting through soil that are not too far from the reality of current-day police investigations involving forensic sciences.

The mystery has been solved, and by the end of the afternoon a culprit had been identified. Although the short-turnaround time is not necessarily representative of in-depth forensic science-related criminal investigations, the event – a first-of-its kind – was paramount to demonstrating some of the tools of trade and above all else: fun in learning.

on May 10, 2013 students from Fort McMurray and area high schools were invited to attend ‘when Science Goes wrong: Mystery in the Mac’.

The event, presented by Edacity.ca and made possible through corporate/business partners and

community volunteers, was held at Heritage Park and saw students run through a series of crimes scene while using science, critical thinking and intellectual prowess to solve the mystery!

Cst. Erika mcGrattan and Cst. Natasha lytwenko, from the Wood

The MYSTerY hAS Been SolveD!

The month of June focuses on Commercial vehicle Safety. These commercial vehicles quite often include transport trucks and other large industrial vehicles, but also pertain to smaller vehicles such as tow trucks, cube vans and taxis.

The Wood Buffalo RCmP, along with its law-enforcement partners such as the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Branch, are committed to education and enforcement of the laws and regulations set-out for these types of transportation. “We work in conjunction with other enforcement units to conduct regular patrols and individual inspections to ensure compliance of provincial guidelines.” says Wood Buffalo RCmP Traffic services Commander sgt. Al Boulianne.

Patrols conducted in recent weeks has resulted in many tickets being issued, and/or vehicles being taken out of service for various driver and mechanical safety violations.

“operators of commercial vehicles should be mindful that unsecured loads, poorly maintained equipment and safety equipment violations all contribute to serious injury and property damage.” states sgt. Boulianne.

For the general motorist a good reminder is that the bigger the truck, the bigger the blind spot; the

more room they need to maneuver, the longer it takes them stop and the longer it takes to pass them. Within the Regional municipality of Wood Buffalo there are many commercial vehicles circulating and travelling our roadways, and it is everyone’s responsibility to be courteous and share the roads safely and responsibly.

CoMMerCiAl vehiCle SAFeTY FoCuS

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FArewell CST. JoneS

it is at this time that we say a fond farewell to Cst. Jesse Jones who has moved on from the Community Policing unit.

Cst. Jones, an active member in the community, was an outstanding asset to public relations initiatives during the year he spent with the unit, and will be greatly missed. He has moved on to pursue his interests in Forensic sciences Investigations and has taken a position with the IDENT unit here at the Wood Buffalo Detachment.

Cst. Jones attended many events and gave many presentations throughout the community and has most recently been awarded the Junior Coach of the Year through his involvement with the Fort mcmurray Football Association. Despite his departure, Cst. Jones will continue to be an active member of the community by volunteering as a football coach and with the Air Cadet squadron. Cst. Jones still remains a part the K Division Ceremonial Red serge Troop.

Cst. Jones has expressed that he thoroughly enjoyed his time with Community Policing and is leaving with mixed emotions. The Community Policing Unit wishes him well in his future endeavors.

FAMilY SAFeTY DAY

Family Safety Day 2013, hosted by Safe Community wood Buffalo and organized by the Childhood injury Prevention Committee, was a great venue for young, and young at heart, to come out and partake in safety-related activities.

The event, held at the syncrude sport and Wellness Center, celebrated its 15th year of promoting healthy lifestyles and providing resources that focus on building a safer community. The gathering of our communities’ safety-minded stakeholders included the Wood Buffalo Detachment and of course the RCmP’s own safety Bear ‘monty.’ members from the Community Policing Unit and the Traffic services section were on hand, along with Victim services volunteers to distribute materials on staying safe, as well as stickers and Centennial pencils.

several police vehicles were on display and open to the public to give youngsters and their parents a chance to see the tools a police officer uses to do their job.

There are always so many interesting things to see, inside and out of a police vehicle, including lights, sirens, police radio, dashboard camera and the in-car computers. In addition to patrol cars, the roll-over simulator was also available for demonstrations on the importance of buckling-up.

seatbelts, and other occupant restraints such as child car seats, save lives when properly used and this is part of the messaging that accompanies any roll-over simulator demonstration.

A good time was had by all, especially monty who managed to sneak into a team photo with other community mascots!