Anti-business crime strategy released

Increasing crime reporting, bridging the gap between reality and perceptions of crime, and reducing opportunities for crime are the primary goals of the new Whitehorse Business Crime Prevention Strategy.

The Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce unveiled the plan late Wednesday afternoon.

“The chamber is very excited about this,” chamber president Rick Karp told the assembled crowd at the territorial visitor information centre.

“The strategy will have a significant impact on the community.”

“Having a safe and secure community is really instrumental in being able to attract visitors worldwide,” Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor said in a speech.

The business crime strategy was developed in response to a series of break and enters against Whitehorse businesses that occurred in the fall of 2005, says the document.

Crimes such as vandalism, mischief, shoplifting, and graffiti result in “increased expenditures on the criminal justice system for the taxpayer, higher prices for the consumer, lost revenue for government, high insurance premiums for clients, increased fear in the community, job losses for employees, increased closures affecting the viability for surrounding businesses and a decrease in property value,” the document continues.

A survey of local business owners conducted during the past winter reveals that graffiti, personal safety, substance abuse and loitering top the list of factors they believe are involved in crimes against businesses.

The strategy aims to prevent these incidents from happening by using an “integrated approach,” said Leslie Carberry, the Justice department’s crime prevention and policing director.

“There are many ways of reducing crime,” she said. “One of them is Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).”

CPTED (pronounced “sep-ted") includes strategies such as changes in garbage removal, parking, lighting, or having loud music to discourage loiterers, said Carberry.

She told the audience the strategy will follow a “CPR” model of crime reduction.

The CPR model means that communication and participation will lead to crime reduction, she explained.

Tracy Hardy, the superintendent and acting commanding officer of the Yukon RCMP, said in her presentation the strategy will also include an anti-graffiti program and potentially a graffiti hotline.

“Police cannot investigate crime if it’s not reported,” she said.

Hardy also said the three-year strategy aims to “clearly identify business crime issues” to improve public awareness.

Hardy said actions as simple as picking up litter and doing repairs change people’s perceptions of crime.

“We believe the strategy will achieve a safer, healthier community,” said city councillor Doug Graham. “We want to ensure participation of residents in crime reduction.”

“It is my sincere belief that the participation of the business community is paramount in reducing crime,” said Barry Harvie, chief superintendent and commanding officer of the RCMP “M” division.

“I think (the strategy) is great because it focuses on two areas that are often neglected: prevention and bridging the gap between perception and reality,” Yukon MP Larry Bagnell said after the presentations.

Contrary to popular belief, Bagnell said, violent crimes in Canada have diminished in recent years while fraudulent crimes such as identity theft are on the upswing.

Bagnell said more reporting of suspicious activity means police can target their patrols to certain areas and help prevent criminal activity.

The MP also supports the CPTED initiative. He said he knows first-hand of certain businesses in the downtown area whose owners are no longer victims of robbery or vandalism, simply because they added better lighting or alarm systems.

“This is a sort of leading initiative in the country,” Bagnell continued. “They’re going to monitor the results and it may be a good example for the rest of the country.”

Karp said the plan was designed for three years because it’s unrealistic to expect people to change their behaviour right away.

“The first year, we will focus on communication,” he said. “Then the next year, we’ll work on (strengthening) partnerships. The third year, we will see reduction.

“It will take time to implement and communicate the initiatives,” Karp said.