SURREY — Surrey Mounties have launched a new awareness campaign aimed at increasing the number of calls they receive from the community.
The "Observe It. Report It." initiative hopes to spread the word that no matter how small a crime, residents need to dial up police.
"It's OK to call us even if you don't believe so. We use that information because it's a great way to tell us where we're needed," said Cpl. Bert Paquet.
"Then we can deploy our resources effectively."
According to Paquet, all reports of crime and suspicious incidents get entered into a database that is shared by RCMP agencies across B.C.
"While not all reports will require police attendance, every incident is analyzed by our crime analyst, who assesses crime trends and any potential public safety issue," he said.
Paquet added there have been many cases when a phone call about a suspicious person led to the recovery of stolen property or the arrest of a prolific offender.
With certain crimes on the rise, Paquet said the number of reported incidents has been stagnant.
"A rise in calls is exactly what we're pushing for. Often people don't feel it will make a difference, or is an inconvenience to police," he said.
"That information is extremely important when it comes to using our officers in a smart manner."
Surrey RCMP will be rolling out the campaign through social media, local advertising, a door-to-door approach and community presentations.
Paquet said there are six ways to report crime in Surrey, the first being 911 for emergencies.
For non-emergencies, residents are asked to call 604-599-0502.
You can also go online for less serious offences or drop into any of the six offices.
For those wishing to stay anonymous, reports can be filed through Crime Stoppers. Anyone preregistered as deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can text 911.