Tri-Municipal Region launches Positive Ticketing program

Proactive initiative intended to foster good citizenship among youth

(L-R): Community Peace Officer (CPO) Shannon Rutland (Stony Plain), CPO Brad Backstrom (Parkland County), Const. Dale Huxley (R.C.M.P.), CPO Imorana Ougniwi (Parkland County), CPO Derek Radatzke (Spruce Grove)

By

July 27, 2011

Enforcement services personnel within the Tri-municipal Region are on a mission: to target local youth and issue them a record number of citations.

But this aggressive campaign is not merely a reaction to juvenile crime, mischief or boredom; rather, it is part of the Tri-municipal Region's new Positive Ticketing Program – a proactive initiative intended to foster good citizenship among local youth, legitimately reinforcing positive behaviours and decision-making skills by offering something of value. The program is also designed to build and nurture trusting relationships and enhance communication between local authorities and young people.

Youth 'caught' engaging in positive behaviours, demonstrating community pride or practicing personal safety will be thanked by local caring enforcement services personnel, firefighters or youth centre staff and then issued 'tickets' – vouchers redeemable for recreational activities or admission to community facilities. 'Citations' also include coupons for food and other services or programs, which have been generously donated or subsidized by regional businesses or organizations.

Launched July 12, the Positive Ticketing Program – a joint-venture between the Town of Stony Plain, the City of Spruce Grove and Parkland County – is a pilot project organized by a local committee consisting of representation from each municipality, the local R.C.M.P. Detachment, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and the Community Policing Advisory Committee. Six-hundred 'tickets' will be distributed. “The Town supports this program because it has strong potential to strengthen developmental assets in youth and to build future community leaders,” says Ken Lemke, mayor of the Town of Stony Plain. “It increases the likelihood that young people will interact positively with – and contribute to – their communities.”

“This program is an excellent idea, because it lets us focus on how youth contribute positively to the community, which reinforces their actions,” says Stuart Houston, mayor of the City of Spruce Grove. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with our neighbours in the Tri-municipal Region to recognize youth in this manner. The program is also a good fit for our Safe City initiative, which promotes personal and community safety.”

“Parkland County Enforcement Services has been utilizing the Positive Ticketing Program for several years now with great success,” said Rod Shaigec, mayor of Parkland County. “It is great to see the program expanded into a Tri-municipal program that includes the R.C.M.P. Thank you to the many corporate sponsors who have stepped up to help us reward people who have been caught doing the right thing.”

Variations of positive ticketing programs have been successfully implemented in several other Canadian jurisdictions, including Grande Prairie and Richmond and Kelowna in BC.

Benefits include significant reduction in juvenile crime, negative behaviours and their associated costs; strengthened self-esteem and morale among youth; and improved community relations between youth, area businesses, municipalities and other local partners.

While the primary benefactors of this program are youth, the project will extend to the broader public in all three communities. The program will be evaluated after all of the tickets have been distributed.

About the Tri-Municipal Region

The Tri-municipal Region consists of the Town of Stony Plain, the City of Spruce Grove and Parkland County. The three municipalities work together to make decisions that benefit all three communities – in a proactive, cost-effective and well-managed way.

Donating businesses and organizations

• A & W – Stony Plain
• Booster Juice – Spruce Grove
• Dairy Queen – Stony Plain
• Entwistle Outdoor Pool – Parkland County
• Mac's Convenience Store (McLeod Ave. only) – Spruce Grove
• Movie World – Stony Plain
• North-central Co-op – Stony Plain
• Stony Plain Outdoor Pool
• TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre

For more information

Rudy A. Zacharias, Communications Coordinator
Town of Stony Plain
780-963-2151
Send e-mail

Jennifer Hetherington, Manager of Corporate Communications
City of Spruce Grove
780-962-7612
Send e-mail

Jackie Ostashek, Communications Coordinator
Parkland County
780-968-8432
Send e-mail