If you ask Mayor Dianne Watts, she will tell you that safe streets are one of the cornerstones of dynamic, thriving and liveable neighbourhoods. “When I was first elected Mayor, it was clear to me that we needed to do things differently,” said Watts. Watts brought together community groups, law enforcement agencies, non-profit organizations, residents and other levels of government. Successful strategies using best practices from cities like London and New York were crafted into an innovative Crime Reduction Strategy that now has others looking to Surrey for solutions. The results are impressive by any standard:
• 1,254 grow-op have been shut down since 2005
• Over the past 3 years violent crime is down 20%
• B&E declined 41% to 2009 and another 6% in 2010
• Auto theft declined 56% to 2009 and another 18% in 2010
However, Watts is committed to doing more – a new District Police Station will be built near the Newton Transit Exchange, the main RCMP detachment in Surrey is expanding to accommodate dozens of more police officers, and the regional headquarters of the RCMP (E Division) is being built in Surrey.
Said Watts, “An important part of our success was due to partnering with the community and ensuring that we were taking a different approach to issues like homelessness, addiction and at risk youth.”.