Targeted downtown patrols to continue
Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jun 06/01) - A Yellowknife police force that's been beefed up to full strength allowed Staff Sgt. Terry Scott to get foot patrols back on the city's downtown street this past weekend.
After being short a few officers last summer, the RCMP Yellowknife detachment is up to full strength.
"We were short all last summer, and we finally got up to full strength last year," says Scott.
"I've got extra people that I didn't have last summer."
The six extra officers this weekend patrolled a geographic area bordered west to east by the Royal Bank on Franklin to the Industry nightclub, and North to South by the RCMP detachment to the Right Spot Bar.
The extra help came in handy. During a five-hour shift Friday evening, 59 persons were arrested. Most of those were jailed for public drunkenness or causing a disturbance.
Scott said the Yellowknife detachment cells, "were filled to capacity," for most of Friday.
Duc Tran, owner of the Country Corner convenience store, says the increased police presence was welcome.
"It's good. We get a lot of people sometimes hanging around and when we try to call police, they're gone before anyone can get here," says Tran.
Scott says that a full complement of members gives him some leeway in ensuring that downtown has more officers on the beat during peak periods.
"We're going to have targeted weekends," with extra officers on the street for busy weekends like Raven Mad Daze.
