Saskatoon community association calling on police for assistance following string of harassment incidents
Following a two-day stretch in October where residents reported being followed and harassed by strangers in the Caswell Hill neighbourhood, the community association is drawing the attention of police for help.
“We wanted to let police know that there were three incidents within two days and it’s not just the usual stuff that you see sometimes, like property crime and broken windows,” said Ian Roach, public safety coordinator with the Caswell Hill Community Association.
On Oct. 21 and 22, residents in the Caswell Hill community Facebook group posted three different instances where they were followed, chased, yelled at and harassed by strangers while out and about in the area.
“These are incidents where people felt they were unsafe or felt they were deliberately followed either on vehicle or on bicycle,” Roach said.
These incidents prompted the community association to write a letter to the Board of Police Commissioner’s, bringing it to the attention of the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS).
“To have three in two days, people should feel safe walking around their community, if there’s a problem like this we should alert the police and make sure these incidents get reported and then police can respond, whether it’s increased patrols or whatever they do to respond,” Roach told CTV News.
During the Board of Police Commissioner’s meeting on Thursday, police chief Troy Cooper said it’s likely these incidents weren’t reported to police, but SPS is working with the community association to learn more about these incidents and take a proactive approach to ensure people are safe when out in the community.
“They are concerning incidents of harassment or discomfort in the neighbourhood,” Cooper said. “We’re also going to be able to examine these specific offences and adjust resources with proactive policing measures.”
Roach said these types of harassment cases are rare in Caswell Hill, but feels underlying issues around homelessness, addictions and mental health are driving this.
“As we have less light and more darkness it’s scary, people should feel comfortable walking their dogs, being out in the community and that’s our priority to make sure Caswell could be a safer place for our families who live here,” Roach said.
Cooper noted in the meeting how overall property crime and crimes against people are on a downward trend, despite the emergence of these complaints.
So far in 2021, Cooper says police have recorded 333 property crimes, which is down from the five-year average of 451 property crimes per year. For crimes committed against a person, police have recorded 84 crimes so far, while the five-year average is 88.
“Although these are concerning issues we do also see crime and reported crime trending in the right direction,” Cooper said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.