A special town meeting in Nipawin on July 24 got the ball rolling for a Citizens on Patrol group in the town. (Submitted photo/Zac Derouin)

By Becky Zimmer

Nipawin one step closer to Citizens on Patrol group

Aug 31, 2021 | 4:28 PM

The Nipawin Citizens on Patrol group is one step closer to getting boots out on the sidewalks.

Group founder, Zac Derouin, told northeastNOW that himself and other residents have been concerned about the increased vandalism and petty crime around the town and decided to be the one to get the ball rolling.

Following a public meeting with RCMP and town representatives on Aug. 23, Derouin said there will be a number of individuals who will be going for training in Edmonton in September who will be bringing that knowledge back to Nipawin.

“We will have another meeting where whoever’s absolutely sure they want to sign up for this and they have their criminal record checks done, then we’ll get a membership going and probably start a board,” Derouin said.

This is the first time Derouin has been involved in forming a Citizens on Patrol group and from what he has heard, they will be scheduling volunteers in twos to go out and patrol the downtown area with other duos doing perimeter sweeps and other neighbourhoods.

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“Let’s face it, when you have young adults or kids at 11:30 or 12:30 at night, walking around with black backpacks and black clothes, it’s not for school.”

The group will be more eyes and ears for the RCMP, he said.

“They’re so understaffed…They’re not chasing around some kids that are going through vehicles taking change to kind of know where they are. That and just to make everybody feel safe in the community,” Derouin said.

Barry Elliott, city manager with the Town of Nipawin told northeastNOW the interest is there for the formation of a group with 60 people at the public meeting and another 100 were at an initial meeting back in July.

“I know there were a number of people who signed the signup sheet to get more interest and perhaps get involved in the program when it’s developed and that sort of thing,” Elliott said.

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becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim