Some business owners were among those at City Hall Tuesday night looking to make their voices heard when it comes to crime in Cold Lake. The operators of many businesses in the city and area dropped by in the -40 degree Celcius weather.
Bliss Lingerie Owner Eleanor Evans was one of the organizers of the concerned group of owners. She says her talks with police point a finger to the same bad apples committing crimes in the city over and over.
“Everyone, councillors, citizens were expressing the concern that we can do everything we can do but when there’s no room in the jail, no room in the Remand. There are no prosecutors; The cases are just being let go.”
Bliss Lingerie was one of the stores hit by thieves just before the New Year. Evans says the business owners have a few ideas they’d like to see implemented by the city.
“Re-set up programs like ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ and ‘Crime Stoppers’ and things like that in the community. We’re going to ask the Chamber of Commerce to help us with it. Our ‘Citizens on Patrol’ have burnt out. They’re not there anymore. Maybe these programs need a little bit more enthusiasm and someone behind them to change.”
Evans says RCMP officers are already working hard but advocates for other security officers to be making patrols in the city. The group also made the request was also made for the city to host a town hall meeting on crime by January 30th