Block watch and business watch ramping up in the city

MERRITT – The Merritt RCMP Community Policing Office is encouraging local residents and business owners to consider joining Block Watch and Business Watch.

First when it comes to block watch Marlene Jones who is the Community Policing Office Coordinator, explains what it entails.

“Block watch is a provincial program and we have a section of it here in Merritt, it has been active for about 15 years. Its an opportunity for neighborhoods in our community to join together and just share communication and share any concerns that are happening in their neighborhoods.”

In order to join block watch you need a certain amount of homes willing to participate, as well as residents ready to be active in the role.

“You need to have a minimum of 5 households,” said Jones. “You need somebody to agree to be the captain, that’s the person that primarily communicates with our office, another co-captain in case that captain is away, I know sometimes we like to go on holidays that type of thing. Just a willingness to work together share information and keep your eye open for your neighbors.”

There isn’t just this type of project for neighbourhoods throughout the city but also businesses in the downtown and upper town areas.

“Business watch is an opportunity for businesses to come together with the community policing office and work together to make the downtown core a better place, whether that’s just through communicating with each other about concerns, ongoing issues, tendencies downtown,” said Blake Chursinoff, Community Policing Officer. “It gives the Merritt RCMP and the community policing office the opportunity to communicate to businesses what we are trying to do downtown. It’s an opportunity to come together and try to improve the workmanship between the two parties.”

Chursinoff said it’s his goal to make it to every downtown business this summer and invite them to be apart of this opportunity, but if those businesses are to accept, this project is theirs to run with.

“The policing is one side of it but I think the other big part is really the buy in from business owners downtown, they are the ones really going to own this project and the community policing office is there to assist and provide guidelines.”

If any resident or business is interested in participating, then drop by the the Community Policing Office at 2026 Granite Avenue in Spirit Square or give them a call at 250-378-3955.