For many communities, crime is a major issue for residents, and things are no different in Portage la Prairie.
Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox recently acknowledged growing frustrations among residents regarding crime and vandalism. With increasing reports on social media, community members are calling for action, prompting Knox to talk about city council's role in addressing these issues.
"We are a small piece of it. It's just as frustrating for us as it is for everybody out there. Our justice system is separate from us. We're trying to hold accountable our prolific offenders. We as a council just want our businesses to know and our citizens to know that we're frustrated too, and when we hear that local businesses get something broken or vandalized or stolen, it lights a fire under us, to then lobby and to try and make things happen to improve our community."
Efforts to tackle these challenges are ongoing. The council is exploring initiatives to boost local employment and enhance community aesthetics, believing these factors can contribute to overall safety.
"The one thing people should know. It's continuously being talked about in council and efforts are always being made to try and improve things."
As Portage la Prairie residents voice their concerns, the city council remains dedicated to finding solutions, demonstrating that community safety is a top priority for local leaders. Knox adds if there is something they can do to help improve things, they will certainly make every effort to make sure it is done.
One social media page called Secure Portage encourages residents to report crime and suspicious activity in their area. That site now has close to nine thousand members.
(With files from Ryan Simpson)