Community Support Program (Details)

Name of province/ territory:

Saskatchewan

City/ Region:

Saskatoon

Description of Initiative:

Five civilian community support officers (CSOs) (four officers and one supervisor) walk the beat and patrol the areas of three Business Improvement Districts in the centre of Saskatoon. Their main function is to address negative street activity and work with service providers to address individual issues (e.g., homelessness, addictions, mental health, etc.). They have been designated by the City as bylaw enforcement officers for bylaws related to panhandling, parks, street use, skateboarding, bicycling, etc.

Initiative Key Objectives:

The Community Support Program has several objectives:

  • provide additional uniform presence and improve the perception of safety in Saskatoon;
  • interact with the community and develop positive relationships with citizens and businesses in the patrol area;
  • interact and build trusting relationships with persons who cause negative street activity and try to assist in addressing the issues faced by these persons;
  • work with service providers to provide supports to people in need and address the root causes of negative street activity (e.g., addictions, homelessness, health, mental health, etc.);
  • identify gaps in services; and
  • work on strategies to assist persons in need, thereby reducing police calls for nuisance and non-crime-related issues.

Section Responsible for Implementation:

The Partnership (the Downtown Business Improvement District) is contracted by the City of Saskatoon to run the program. The program is overseen by the Street Activity Steering Committee (an advisory committee to City Council) which includes a representative of the Saskatoon Police Service.

Key Contact:

Lesley Prefontaine
cso_supervisor@sasktel.net

Groups/ Agencies/ Key Partners Involved:

  • community groups
  • private agencies/corporations
  • civilian governing authorities
  • other government departments/agencies

Level of Involvement (consultative - information sharing) and/or cooperative - direct involvement):

As noted above, the program is overseen by the Street Activity Steering Committee which is an advisory committee to Saskatoon City Council. The Steering Committee represents three Business Improvement Districts, the Saskatoon Anti-Poverty Coalition and the Saskatoon Police Service. A City of Saskatoon neighborhood safety planner is a non-voting member of the Steering Committee.

The program works closely with, and has had regular meetings with, a group of service providers (e.g., Crisis Intervention, Mental Health & Addiction Services, Saskatoon Housing Authority, Salvation Army, etc.) for both information sharing and direct involvement. The Saskatoon Health Region is also providing assistance in setting up evaluation criteria and processes.

Amount of Time Initiative has been in Place:

The CSOs had two weeks of training starting June 25, 2012, and then started patrols on July 9, 2012.

Reason for Undertaking the Initiative:

The police receive many calls for services which are non-criminal nuisance-type complaints and can only be addressed by dealing with the root social causes. In fall 2011 a street activity baseline study was conducted along with signficant research into what other municipalities are doing in relation to negative street activity. It was clear that additional uniform presence was needed to improve the perception of safety and those measures had to be put in place to address repeat calls for service for the same individuals.

Resources Required to Implement this Initiative:

Costs are estimated at $415,000 (first-year expenses and start-up cost estimate) and $355,000 (second-year expense estimate). Funding is supplied by the City of Saskatoon from parking meter revenue generated in the three Business Improvement Districts taking part in this project.

Method of Implementation:

This is currently a two-year pilot project.

Key Outcomes of the Initiative:

The program just started so we are unable to provide outcomes at this time.

Availability of a Communication Strategy:

Yes

Key Messages used to Publicize the Initiative:

An education strategy and promotional materials are being developed but we are focusing on three areas—street activity, business community and community safety.

Forms of Evaluation by which the Initiative will be Assessed:

  • formative
  • summative
  • external
  • quantitative
  • qualitative
  • social return on investment
  • other: follow up street activity study will be done

Evaluation Completed or Community Feedback Received:

No

Summary of the Outcomes:

The feedback from both the business community and citizens that encounters with the CSOs have been very positive thus far. Feedback from service providers who have been meeting with the Street Activity Steering Committee for the past year has also been very positive.

Summary of the Performance Measure Data Collected:

N/A

Economics of Policing Pillars:

Further Details:

The CSOs have already reduced police calls for service by receiving calls from businesses for non-criminal activity which they would normally call police for. In addition, police have dispatched calls to them. The CSOs are beginning to develop relationships with people we believe require services to improve their quality of life, and have been making contact with the service providers.

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

In addition to the Community Support Program and the Street Activity Steering Committee, the City has established the Safe Streets Commission and appointed people to the Commission. Its goal is to develop strategies to fill identified gaps in service by fostering investment from the business community and the community at large in support of projects to achieve an increased perception of safety on the Saskatoon streets and to ensure people are not on the street because they have nowhere else to go. The Community Support Program plays a role in identifying those gaps for the Commission.

Record Entry Date:

2013-08-01

Date modified: