After launching the Community Resource Officer (CRO) program in September of this year, Morden Police Service has seen enough positive results to warrant extending the program to June 2024.

Constable Jeff Forster has filled the role of CRO since its inception.

"The program has been going very well. We're seeing lots of positive results," said Forster. "I think one of the biggest things that I've seen is the improved communication between the various stakeholders such as Western School division and their staff. We’ve been communicating a lot better with Probation Services and we work pretty closely with them as well. They advise us on clients and their release conditions and then we can keep them updated on our dealings. It's just really improved our communication."

Personally, Forster's greatest satisfaction has come from watching local kids relax and lose their fear of approaching him. 

"Being approached by kids that may in the past may not have approached me."

His new role has also given the constable more time to solve problems before they become larger issues and created a rise in positive interaction with the community.

"We’ve also seen some very preliminary results in the reduction in calls for service for some of the individuals that, in the past, would generally use a lot of police resources. Part of that is I've established a great working relationship with the Community Mobilization support worker Nicole Fehr of 500 Stephen Street. We work closely together with clients, referrals that she gets from our police service and other agencies, getting them the resources they need to help them with their issues and helps either steer them away from the criminal justice system or reduce their interactions with the criminal justice system." 

Despite the preliminary benefits of this community-based proactive approach to policing, the program still faces a few challenges.

"The biggest challenge - and it's going to be an ongoing challenge - is to continue building trust and relationships with the youth community and other people in the community. There are a few naysayers out still," admits Forster. "[We need to] convince the naysayers that this program is well worth the time and effort that's been put into it. As for the future, we've already started exploring potential funding grants to help keep the program going. Obviously, my ultimate goal is to make this a permanent position which will benefit the community well into the future."

The department is now exploring funding grants to help keep the program going.


~With files from Robyn Wiebe~

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