The town of Fort Smith is partnering with the RCMP and the Fort Smith Metis Council to create a Fort Smith community Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P) group.
The town announced the partnership in a press release on Tuesday, stating that the goal of the group is to “act as the extended eyes and ears of the local law enforcement agencies.”
“This goal is achieved by observation, documentation and reporting of any suspicious activity as observed through community patrols. C.O.P volunteers are educated about crime prevention and community safety and have an increased awareness of suspicious and dangerous activities,” the release goes on to state.
Fort Smith had a violent crime rate of 57.9 (per 1,000 people) in 2016, down from 122.9 in 2015, according to a report from the Northwest Territories Bureau of Statistics.
The group is currently seeking volunteers. People who are interested can pick up an application at the town office, the Metis office or RCMP detachment.
