We’ve all heard “Tough on Crime” and “Soft on Crime”, politicians crow about the first and throw the second at their opponents, particularly at the provincial and federal levels. There’s a better expression, “Smart on Crime”

The Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council wants you to tell them what “Smart on Crime” means. I wrote, “Smart on Crime means making prevention a priority.”  Here’s some other thoughts from other people who answered their small survey,

You can add your thoughts here

If you get Rogers Cable 20, The WRCPC is hosting a program about different aspects of crime. the last program, So What, Now What? is June 30th at 9 p.m.

Here’s a picture of the new police horses. They even posed so my husband could take a photo. A smash hit at the Maple Syrup Festival.

Police horses at the Maple Syrup Festival

Ignite Waterloo holds presentations on any topic with 15 slides and 5 minutes. The last one was at the Children’s Museum on March 3. The next is July 7th. For more information go to www.ignitewaterloo.ca.

If you are like me, and uber busy and can’t go, videos were taken of each presentation and they are a blast.

Here a couple of them that are loosely to do with municipal affairs. They will lead you to the others, like the one about the Evolution of Sex!

How to Change a Politician’s Mind.

In a Roundabout Way

Policing in 2009

Nudging People Onto Bikes in the Age of the Automobile  Shows the Bike Couch! I rode that once in a commuter challenge!

Well the budget didn’t go to as low a percent as I would have wished, but the Regional budget came in at 1.78 % and the police budget at .88%.  (Approx 38 dollars per YEAR on the tax bill) Remember, the police board not Regional council sets the police budget, we just pay the bill.

Police halved their request and ended up with 10 new officers and 10 new civilians. 5 of those civilians will be prison guards for the courts and stations, and that will free up 5 officers to get back on the street. Not only will the new officers be working on crime prevention as they patrol but the Region is growing and no matter how low crime, we still have a lot and need more officers for growth.

I won some and lost some on the budget.

I wanted some of the 8 million in infrastructure funds that come from the federal government to be used to offset the increase for the system that calls out stops and has a gps for the buses and for solving the bus overcrowding problem on the mainline, number 9 Lakeshore and 12 and Iexpress. That didn’t fly and neither did my suggestion that the one million we took out of roads last year that was put back in (This is extra money that increases the roads budget each year, so it gets higher and higher) be taken out again this year.

On the plus side, I asked the head of finance about the gaping provision where if someone leaves the region and a person is hired for less money, that the budget be adjusted to the new rate instead of staying at the old one (hope that is clear). Jim Wideman  made sure that extra money was taken out for this gap when he and the other committee heads got together with staff to find some more cuts.

There were also rumblings that we should have no improvements but delegations and myself argued for the callouts of stops on the buses as required by the Human Rights tribunal and money to stop the overcrowding on buses. If we want to have a full LRT, we can’t have people stopping using the buses due to overcrowding. Also, all councillors agreed that daycare will be maintained at the present rate and we will see how the new all day jk and sk goes.

On Friday evening I went on a ridealong with the police, Division 3, City of Waterloo.

At first the evening was very slow. The officer checked license plates of passing cars (did you know they can do that? I didn’t.) to see if any violations came up on his computer.

Incoming calls come in by email and some chatter by radio, but most of the work is done by computer. We need to upgrade the technology to hands free!

Small stuff — checking on a family where the mother had cut herself badly with a broken glass bowl. This is part of the three services response code. She had already been taken away by ambulance.  Part of this is to check for domestic violence (Not at that house or there would have already been a code by ambulance)

Another, warning a guy who left without paying for his gas an hour earlier. Lived in a nice neighbourhood too. Said he would pay up in a half hour. (Yeah or be charged)

Noise complaints now handled by by-law

Checked on two boys walking along with full backpacks at 10 p.m.  They had just finished a paper route, probably Pennysaver.

Two alarms both turned out to be false but officier said they can be nothing or nasty.

Officers have a lot of paperwork

Picked up a homeless woman sleeping by the Public Library. Out of the Cold had ended for the season the night before. Took her to Mary’s Place.  No drugs, no alcohol, evicted a couple of months ago and sleeping at Out of the Cold. A good candidate for the type of people that will be in the new SHOW apartments on Erb St.

11:30 went out with the sargeant and things picked up. Lots of calls coming in over the computer.

A girl kicking other residents and staff at a group home. Throwing extinquishers. Amazing how the police can calm people down but she still had to be watched. Grabbed something from the table and made to sit down again in a corner. Arrested. So much anger in such a young girl.

Domestic — Several police there. Not straightforward, a complicated case but police very professional in taking everyone’s story.

Police drive around alone in the car but back up always there for a serious call.

95 percent of the calls seem to involve alcohol.

Thank you Waterloo police for a very interesting night! You are so professional.