MOOSE JAW — The Moose Jaw Police Service’s anti-trespassing and shopping cart recovery initiatives have been producing positive results, as nearly 130 properties have joined the former and over 50 four-wheelers have been recovered under the latter.
Sgt. Ryan Lawrence provided an update about the agency’s community safety initiatives during the Board of Police Commissioners’ Dec. 11 meeting.
Lawrence explained that 128 properties have joined the Moose Jaw Trespass Prevention Program (MJTPP), but because some locations are strip malls, there are actually more businesses participating than that number indicates.
The public safety initiative — — focuses on protecting commercial and multi-unit residential buildings, particularly after hours, where police have the power to evict trespassers, he continued. The police service records all participating properties in a database, while properties receive yellow triangular stickers to indicate that they are participating.
Since police may come across the same trespassers — usually homeless or less fortunate people — at a property, they can help those people find assistance through Willow Lodge or with Social Services, the sergeant remarked.
Meanwhile, police have received positive feedback about the program, with business owners saying they’ve had fewer people loiter with the stickers in place, said Lawrence. However, some loiterers returned after stickers were ripped off doors, prompting police to visit and install new insignia.
“So with this program, the Moose Jaw Police Service is able to take an existing provincial act … and apply it in a proactive policing manner in our community,” he stated.
The police service has heard some complaints online from residents who are frustrated that the agency is focusing on business properties instead of residential locations, he continued. So, staff created an online poster explaining the rights that residential property owners have with trespassing issues.
“So we have tried to push this out and encourage people to phone and report people in their yard or on their property at night. We’ve had some good feedback … but not everybody is always monitoring our stuff either,” Lawrence added.
Meanwhile, to enhance community safety and reduce people’s ability to transport weapons or stolen goods, the sergeant said.
The MJPS had affected businesses sign a document saying they did not allow their trolleys to be removed from the property. One business that has had 50 of its carts removed from the property was thrilled that the police service was undertaking this initiative.
Officers have recovered 60 carts, each valued at $250, which means members have returned $15,000 worth of stolen property, added Lawrence. Also, police do not lay formal charges against people when they recover the four-wheelers, while most people are co-operative and give back the carts.
Other initiatives that the MJPS is pursuing include foot and bike patrols, nightly checks of areas of concern, community engagement activities, safety presentations, school-focused conversations, community events, impaired driving checkstops, using speed-monitoring trailers in school zones and on high-priority streets, recruitment and supporting victims.
The next police board meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
