Crime will be the lead topic at a Burnt Lake Industrial Park gathering this afternoon.
The meeting taking place from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Queen’s Diner, at 34 Burnt Basin St. in the industrial area west of Red Deer was organized to discuss concerns about thefts, vandalism and traffic problems.
Other concerns, such as road maintenance and snow clearing, are also on the agenda.
Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood said he and others from council and the county, including the senior patrol officer, will be attending.
Wood said rural crime is a recurring issue in the county.
“We’ve attended lots of meetings in the last while in various communities regarding the concerns that they have of break-ins.”
The county has been working with groups such as Rural Crime Watch to find ways to reduce crime and help residents protect themselves. Council recently approved funding to help Blackfalds RCMP add an investigator, among whose duties will be tackling rural crime.
“I do know that crime is definitely an issue in Red Deer County through our community surveys that we’ve done over a period of time,” said Wood.
Most recent surveys saw crime ranked third among residents’ priorities.