As a Friend of Crime Prevention, I believe that the heart of crime prevention is through social and community development…..
As an educator, I was used to being at the front of a group of students or a group of fellow educators. Now being retired, my role as changed, I am continuing on my learning journey, but now as a student or fellow participant in the learning. My learning now is focused on developing a new understanding of community and what needs to be done to build a community of belonging for all residents of the Region of Waterloo.
As a Friend of Crime Prevention, I attended on the morning of February 8th, “What Community Means, a Waterloo Region Community Gathering” at K-W YWCA Mary’s Place Community Room, in downtown Kitchener. This event was led by the New Story Group, the Kitchener-Waterloo Social Planning Council, the Festival of Neighbourhood’s, the Multicultural Cinema Club and the Abrahamic Peace Builders.
The keynote speaker was Derek Alton, of the 1000 Conversations project. 1000 Conversations is a project of Tamarack, a charity that develops and supports learning communities that help people to collaborate, co-generate knowledge and achieve collective impact on complex community issues. The deep hope of Tamarack is to end poverty in Canada.
The pilot phase of the 1000 Conversation campaign started in Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Halton and Hamilton, and the second phase Tamarack is looking to partner with 10 new local hosts across Canada who are interested in bringing this campaign to their communities.
Some of my key learnings from this Community Gathering dealt with:
How technology is changing how we approach community
The shifting expectations of Community – how the experience of seniors and youth compare
The Dark Sides of Community
The discussion on “The Dark Sides of Community” for me was especially enlightening, as I have been focusing much of my efforts with the inclusion work of the City of Kitchener Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee on building bridges to inclusion in our community. The “Dark Sides of Community” refers to the feeling of individuals being left out of their community because “they did not fit the mold” or that they could not be their “true selves”, so because of this, community can be experienced as a very judgemental and exclusive place for some. But, clear boundaries can preserve the integrity of a group, so no community can be all things for all people. The key learning here is that community is complicated and messy, and that it is important to not ignore this but rather to seek to understand it.
My view of community is evolving, in my previous blog post, I talked about the New Story Group and their efforts to write a new story about belonging and community. Community for me is many things. For thirty years as an educator my community was very focused on my work and family. Now that I am retired I have been expanding my horizons. My work community is still part of my world, but not the main part. Community is many things, my family, my poker group, my circle of friends, the people at the various places and organizations that I am now volunteering at. Community can be anywhere, and can involve anyone, the only thing is some connection. Connections, the web that builds is what links community together for me. I am amazed at the connections that I see when I do something in my community. It is by leveraging these connections that we can work together to improve our community and make it a place where everyone feels that they belong.
I do believe that many small actions will add up to a large action on the road to building a community of belonging. It can be as simple as acknowledging the presence of a homeless person in downtown Kitchener, they are part of our community, a friendly smile goes a long way in making a person feel like they belong. In less than two months since my last blog post, I have become a member at large on the Forest Heights Community Association Board of Directors, with the desire to continue writing a new story of belonging in my community.
I challenge you to do something to make our community a community of belonging, smile at a stranger, volunteer somewhere in your community, it will make a difference, it will connect you!
Author: Doug McKlusky was born in Ottawa but is a long time resident of Waterloo Region including his university days. Doug recently retired from 30 years with the Waterloo Region District School Board. Doug was co-chair of the inREACH Street Gang Prevention Project until it closed in December 2013. But in his newly retired days, time has very quickly filled with important work such as Out of the Cold, Nutrition for Learning, Forest Heights Community Association and the Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee for the City of Kitchener. And, wisely, Doug connects all his work to being an all-around ambassador for Friends of Crime Prevention – it really is about connection.
Doug McKlusky‘s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
Posted on: February 5th, 2014 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
In the first part of our follow up to the Snapshot on Crime series, we shared some themes and commonalities we found in the informative, thought-provoking responses of community residents and leaders to the report – A Snapshot in Time: The Root Causes of Crime in Waterloo Region. Each contributor reflected on local data in the report concerning one social, community or economic circumstance associated with increases or decreases in crime. We shared powerful quotes from contributors illustrating the importance of individual actions, and the need for transformative changes, like changes in attitudes, in order to address the root causes of crime. There was so much to share, we couldn’t fit them all in to one blog post. Read on….
The connections between social, economic and community circumstances and crime are complex. There are often multiple circumstances that adversely impact people and communities requiring coordinated, holistic responses to the interconnected roots of crime and victimization.
For example, Jill Stoddart explains that children in care of child welfare “often come from disadvantaged families and have been subjected to maltreatment and neglect” and thus “are often at higher risk of involvement in the youth justice system, homelessness, substance abuse” and other problems.
While being young and male is associated with an increased risk of crime and victimization, Rohan Thompson from the inREACH gang prevention project says “the vast majority of youth crime is being committed by a small number of young offenders.” Further, these youth “have lived and been exposed to risks most of their young life, so participation in a gang is just the symptom of deeper more complex issues…” requiring “a holistic long term approach.”
Since “length of involvement in schooling significantly impacts participation in criminal activity,” school boards go to “great lengths” to decrease the number of residents without a high school education. David DeSantis gives examples of Catholic school board initiatives such as the “Supervised Alternative Learning programs [that] allow students to work full-time, get mental health supports, volunteer hours and accumulate credits.”
“…children and youth from fragmented households are perhaps just as likely to commit crime as lone-parent offspring. What do I mean by fragmented? A two parent family, where the parents… at the end of the day are too tired, burned out and stressed, leaving little time or energy to actively engage their children. “
“She [victim] learned that Brianna was not the monster that she had imagined her to be, but a troubled young woman who had been the past victim of rape and abuse, trying to turn her life around. Carol’s fear was transformed.”
Many writers emphasized the critical need to focus more attention on preventing problems from occurring in the first place.
Amy Romagnoli explains that many community organizations “place great value on early child development as an up-stream approach to preventing negative child outcomes…Programs that promote and offer early learning opportunities need to be prioritized, implemented and given a chance to prove their value in the long term.”
So… where does all this leave us?
First, the good news, crime rates have been steadily falling in Waterloo Region and the Snap Shot in Time report shows Waterloo Region is committed to paying attention to the root cause of crime. “A continued diligent effort to monitor and intervene in the root causes of crime is a powerful tool for ensuring that this trend can continue into the future.”
Community residents and leaders described the important work being done in our community to address the root causes of crime and victimization and to build a safe and healthy community for everyone. They shared their insights, stories, and calls for action. One of the important messages is that everyone can make a difference – so join us!
What more do we need to do? Considering all the good efforts already under way, are you satisfied with the work of the community or would you like to do more? Is there a particular area in which you would like to see our community put more collective and concentrated effort?
Essentially…. Where do we go from here? Speak up community, you’re great at this! And you’re great at making things happen too.
Posted on: February 4th, 2014 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
How do we get at the root causes of crime and prevent it from happening in the first place?
This isn’t a direct, straight answer, but, the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council believes part of the solution is to monitor the root causes of crime over time. Then we, as a community, can better understand and address the social, community and economic conditions associated with crime and victimization. Check out the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council’s report – A Snapshot in Time: The Root Causes of Crime in Waterloo Region to find out how we are doing in early childhood development, employment, community trust and other important indicators.
In the months following the report’s release, community residents, leaders and experts wrote blogs responses to share stories, insights and examples of how our community is responding to the root causes of crime outlined in the report. When we read all the fantastic community responses together like a book, we started to notice some themes and commonalities.
Many blogs responses focused on the importance of individual actions in building a safe and healthy community. Volunteering, owning a home and having a stake in a healthy neighbourhood or simple acts of noticing instead of “pretend(ing) to be an island” all make a positive difference .
Waterloo City Councillor, Karen Scian, tells a moving story of her encounter with a ‘squeegee kid’ at a red light as a way of illustrating how social capital (positive connections between people) is something we can all build and that protects against crime.
“His green eyes instantly reminded me of [my son] Peter. What if? …I…called him over…We chatted…and [I] gave him paper money. I gave him my business card. I asked him to call his mom…He thanked me again and told me that he was going to get something to eat and that he would call his mom…I had to hope.”
Higher levels of home ownership also serve as a protective factor against crime. Local realtor Keith Marshall is optimistic since “we are trending well in Kitchener-Waterloo. Crime is down. Homeownership is up. Neighbourhoods that were considered unsafe and decaying fifteen years ago are transforming into sought after and vibrant places to live.”
Calls for transformative changes to address root causes
Many contributors spoke passionately of the need for deep structural changes in our communities and systems in order to transform the social and economic conditions that contribute to crime and victimization.
In reflecting on the “deplorable” rates of violence against women and the need for a larger shelter in Waterloo Region in recent years, Mary Zilney asks:
“Why doesn’t our government create a system whereby the women and children remain in the family home and the abuser is removed? …Instead of building bigger shelters, we need to turn our minds to how we collaboratively eradicate violence against women.”
Part of the solution lies in changing attitudes and awareness
Many contributors agreed that part of the societal transformation required to address the root causes of crime and build healthy communities is changing attitudes so that all people are valued and treated with respect and understanding.
Sara Casselman writes about an innovative program to reduce incidences of sexual assault that works “with men in positions to influence male youth.” This program “encourages young men to treat women with fairness, equality and respect and to stand up and speak out on gendered violence.”
“when we provide those in need with stable housing we give the opportunity to live with dignity, reduce crime, reduce addiction and give the opportunity for better success. It is a win, win situation…We need to put as much effort into creating awareness and fundraising for this as we do when collecting food and socks.”
“the root of all root causes…is the stigmatization of people living in poverty. Societal attitudes / values impact our political voting choices and influence policy decisions…. if enough of us TRULY believed that everyone was a valuable member of society, we’d have much better policies in place that reflect that belief.”
Thank you to the community contributors for sharing these insights and calls to action. There’s more to come. Tune in to the next blog for part two of The Community Weighs in on the Root Causes of Crime. We’ll review the some more themes and provide additional reflections and food for thought.
Who knew I’d be joining the Friends of Crime Prevention in my retirement years? Well, it has to be destiny, no one could have told me this would be in my plans, but what a blessing.
Let me back it up a bit for you, to Nov. 3, 2011 when my son Daniel, then 28, went missing. Once we learned where his vehicle was found (Temagami backcountry, Red Squirrel Road), we at least know where he potentially was and that there was no evidence of foul play or crime. But, the need to file a local missing persons report and then have another police force take over the search (OPP, Temiskaming), we were confronted with a lot of new learning about police procedures and, most importantly, about the gap in support services for families with missing loved ones, particularly when there is no evidence of crime.
Daniel is still missing today.
Fast forward to December 2013 when I joined Friends of Crime Prevention. In an effort to find meaning in the uncertainty of my son missing for over 2 years, I reached out to agencies in our community to try and get a network started to help support families like mine. Having known Christine Sadeler at the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council when I worked at the Region of Waterloo and knew about their close workings with the community, I reached out to her to share my need. I wanted to spread the message about missing persons so we could create a network that would to help raise awareness and fill a gap I see in our community.
I attended the Friends of Crime Prevention event on January. 9, 2014 and was pleased with the number of representatives from the community, as board members, professionals and friends. This reinforced that my decision to become a Friend of Crime Prevention was indeed a good one. Not only was it informative, but it gave me a much better sense of the diversity of the group and the many facets of crime prevention from a community perspective. A bonus was getting a tour of the new WRPS North Division Station, where the meeting was held.
My hope is that not only do I have the opportunity to become part of a group with many facets of crime prevention as their objective, but also to get others engaged in making it a better place for those who may be impacted by a missing loved one. I thank Friends of Crime Prevention for giving our community this opportunity to participate and play as active a role as we can give.
In an effort to do my part as a Friend of Crime Prevention and raising awareness about what it’s like for families with missing loved ones, I want to point you toward a very timely media series in the Waterloo Region Record. Anyone who feels they can help play a role in providing support services for the families with missing loved ones, please contact me, Maureen Trask.
Media Series: MISSING in Waterloo Region
In collaboration with Waterloo Regional Police Service and the Waterloo Region Record, families with missing loved ones are currently sharing their stories, challenges and issues. Greg Mercer is the reporter writing this series and is supported by Richard Dorling from WRPS who is working with the missing cases and the families concerned. We are very grateful for their amazing support and assistance.
Check the Saturday paper or online for ‘MISSING’ articles, giving a better awareness and understanding of what it’s like for families with a missing loved one.
As a Friend of Crime Prevention, I believe that that the heart of crime prevention is through social and community development…..
Imagine neighbourhoods where everyone feels a sense of belonging, where inclusion trumps fear.
Imagine workplaces where people belong, and where respect and collaboration trump power and politics.
Imagine schools where belonging trumps bullying and streaming.
Discover, what it means to belong in a diverse community,
Imagine an ideal future where all citizens experience a sense of belonging,
Create momentum that moves us toward this ideal future
Sustain communities of belonging through leadership and innovation
John Lord, the founder of the grass-roots organization, The New Story Group of Waterloo Region, was the keynote speaker on October 15th. The New Story Group is dedicated to building inclusive communities where every community member has an opportunity to experience belonging. Our current story has:
Seniors living alone and very isolated
People with mental health issues being lonely and having few friends
New Canadians needing support to enhance their sense of belonging
In his keynote address John Lord outlined some of the fundamentals that must exist before people can experience a sense of community belonging:
Presence –this is a simple as showing up, but we have to make it easy for people to show up!
Participation – if we make it easy to be present participation becomes easier
Relationships – as humans we have a strong need for affiliation and relatedness
Building a Community of Belonging is strength-based work. We need to build on the assets of individuals, neighbourhoods, and the wider community. There are four key elements of Leadership and Belonging:
Intentionality – communities and individuals must be intentional about belonging.
Belonging Lens – use a belonging lens to guide policy
Connections – identify bridges to enhance belonging
Judgement Free Places – people need to be able to enter community spaces and not feel that they are being judged.
The passion and commitment to write a new story was evident amongst the participants. Inspiring speakers, such as Brandon Spunar, of the Connection Project, and founder of Our Common Ground, spoke of his efforts to connect people in our community, to build bridges to inclusion by connecting people with common interests with each other.
The challenge was given to participants to do something, a small thing that would contribute to making their neighbourhood a more welcoming place, something that would contribute to belonging, to do something to help write the new story. Participants committed to doing this and sharing by March with their groups what they have done. Individually they committed to start writing the new story.
Personally I have committed to three actions that will foster community belonging;
one within my own Forest Heights community,
one within the City of Kitchener, and,
the last one that has an impact across the Region of Waterloo.
As a Friend of Crime Prevention, I believe that the heart of crime prevention is social and community development, so I challenge you to become involved, do something to make our region one of belonging, be part of the writing of the New Story of Belonging.
Author: Doug McKlusky was born in Ottawa but is a long time resident of Waterloo Region including his university days. Doug recently retired from 30 years with the Waterloo Region District School Board. Doug was co-chair of the inREACH Street Gang Prevention Project until it closed in December 2013. But his newly retired days, time has very quickly filled with important work such as Out of the Cold, Nutrition for Learning and the Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee for the City of Kitchener. And, wisely, Doug connects all his work to being an all-around ambassador for Friends of Crime Prevention – it really is about connection.
Doug McKlusky‘s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
Posted on: December 31st, 2013 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
I just love this time of January when you get to take a look back at what’s been accomplished over the past year, ponder what worked well and scratch your head about what emerged that you never expected.
As we turn the page into 2014, I also love the tradition of digging into our blog to find what you, the readers, found most interesting over the last year. With over 45 blog posts in 2013, there was certainly something for everyone. We had 23 different guest bloggers contribute community responses on the root causes of crime as part of the Snapshot in Time: Root Causes of Crime in Waterloo Region. You can find all the posts and community responses in one tidy corner of the blog.
But, our readers are diverse which indicates why our most popular blogs on Smart on Crime ranged from book reviews to casinos and from guest commentary to provincial budget analysis. Here’s the round up of our top 13 posts from 2013.
“If youth in the labour market cannot find employment, they find it increasingly difficult to become established in the “adult” world. They have done nothing wrong. They have done what they were told to do and were supposed to do yet cannot find that suitable connection to the workforce. This impacts their confidence and their ability to “fit in”. Many have chosen to give up and have simply walked away from the labour market making it even harder to find their “place” in the world. This results in frustration and anger and they feel neglected.”
“Children living in the care of the child welfare system have a higher likelihood of justice system involvement in comparison to children living with their biological parents”.
“I feel part of a sector where I join in solidarity with people experiencing homelessness and many community members who together stand up to say – people who are homeless matter. We collectively are committed to ending homelessness in Waterloo Region. This is a lofty goal, which will take much persistence and hard work, but with the determination and skills of this community, I believe it is possible.”
“Five minutes later I stood at the front of a classroom with 25 women waiting for me to start talking. “Good morning” I said. “Good morning.” came the reply from the women of Grand Valley Institution for Women (GVI).”
“It goes almost without saying that the overarching cause of homelessness is poverty, but not all people who are poor become homeless. Not all people who become homeless stay that way for long.”
“It is no surprise that the length of involvement in schooling significantly impacts participation in criminal activity and the probability of incarceration, as found in Snapshot in Time: Root Causes of Crime in Waterloo Region. In fact, this has been well-known in the education sector for many years – which explains the great lengths to which school boards go in mitigating against this problem.”
“Creating change that lasts happens in relationships, from one person to another, and these days, often facilitated with the power of social media. Here are Alan’s 7 best thoughts on the principles for engaging people in change.”
“The Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council believes monitoring the root causes of crime can aid the community in addressing crime, victimization and fear of crime through awareness, discussion, leadership and action. Once the root causes are understood more clearly, resources can be applied to areas where the community is doing poorly. A Snapshot in Time: The Root Causes of Crime in Waterloo Region identifies the root causes of crime right here in Waterloo Region and provides a tool to aid local policy makers in targeting interventions to where they are most needed and where they can have the greatest impact.”
“The data in the section of Root Causes of Crime in Waterloo Region titled Income of Low Income Families is no surprise to those of us who are familiar with poverty-related issues in our regional community. In fact, in Waterloo Region, 36 earners make more than $2.57M; 360 make more than $685K; 3,610 (the top 1%) make more than $396K. Individuals who make more than $81,200 are in the top 10%. On the other hand, the median income of the bottom 50% is $14,100!* In 2007, one third of employed individuals were earning $14.00/hour or less. This is poor – it may not be deep (or absolute) poverty, but it is precariously close to it. “
“The official position statement of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council given at a public consultation on the question of a casino in the City of Kitchener. The remarks were given by WRCPC Executive Director, Christiane Sadeler on behalf of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.”
So many great reads from 2013. But if you’re in the mood for something to watch, rather than read, might I suggest our personal favourite, “Won’t you be my neighbour?” Who can resist Anthony Piscitelli’s homage to Mr. Rogers!
We look forward to bringing more great smart on crime blogs for you to ponder. Better yet, we love hearing your comments, reactions and responses to the posts and guest commentaries. We look forward to hearing more from you in 2014!
Posted on: November 12th, 2013 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
Social capital refers to the human connections and capacities that contribute to the wealth and well being of a community. Social capital is developed in many ways such as participating in community groups, helping someone solve a problem or by saying hello to a neighbour. High levels of social capital have been linked to reduced violence in neighbourhoods. A community characterized by strong interpersonal connections helps to reduce crime by making it more likely that people in the community will watch over the neighbourhood. A simple and widely accepted measure of social capital asks the question, ‘Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you cannot be too careful in dealing with people?’
The Statistics
Data Sources: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey Time Use Cycle (Released Every Five Years); University of Waterloo Survey Research Centre, Local Area Survey (Released Annually)
The Story Behind the Numbers
Social trust is slightly higher in Ontario than it is in Canada and it is significantly higher in the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo Census Metropolitan Area (CMA). Similar results were found on a second question in the 2008 General Social Survey, asking how much respondents trust people in their neighbourhood. The results bode well for Waterloo Region and present an important protective factor for the community. The increase in social capital between 2008 and 2012 is within the margin of error, indicating that social capital in the region is stable. Social capital does not form by itself. It tends to be the outcome of strategic and focused efforts on behalf of local institutions including the grass roots and local government to ensure an informed and engaged citizenry.
Read the Community Responses:
Life at 17 by Karen Scian, Waterloo City Councillor, Conestoga College instructor, Waterloo Public Library Trustee, Chair of the Board for Community Justice Initiatives
I live a busy life. Like many of you, I wear a lot of hats in our community. I have a really hard time saying ‘no’ to people, causes, and commitments that intrigue me.
Which is how I found myself parked in gridlock on Toronto’s busy Lakeshore Drive one drizzly, grey, and miserable November evening … trying to make my way home to Waterloo from a series of meetings in the downtown. As usual, I was late. Also, as usual, I had been parenting my youngest son from afar via BBM … What’s up? Good day? How was football practice? Have you eaten? What homework do you have? Did you put the dog out? Always ending with: I love you, Peter. I love you too, Ma.
Peter’s responses were predictable. At 17, he was happy to have the house to himself. Sitting in my car, I could picture him in my mind: He came home from school, dumped his gear behind the sofa, gave the dog some love, headed straight to the fridge, and then upstairs to have a hot shower. He was likely comfortably lounging in our family room, making his way through the multitude of sports channels on cable. I knew he was safe, warm, fed, and had his beloved furry companion by his side.
As I inched my way towards a grey and dreary intersection on Lakeshore, I spotted the inevitable dance of captive motorists being courted by ‘squeegee kids’ with their proactive offers of clean windshields. Despite a 1999 provincial law that outlaws it and recent City of Toronto calls (2011) to come down hard on panhandlers, squeegeeing is the norm in Toronto: Cars stop at a light and nervous drivers avert their eyes or uncomfortably acknowledge the young people who approach their cars. I’ve been in this dance before, always leaving the dance floor with a sense of unease and emptiness.
I did the quick calculations. I was going to be the first car in line at the intersection. I had some spare change in the car, but I also needed a coffee. It was raining. I didn’t need my windows cleaned. I turned the radio up and did my best to pretend that I was an island.
I pulled up to the red light. Thoughts of Peter passed through my head: I hope he’s doing his homework.
I looked up and saw a young man standing on the boulevard. He looked nervous. He also looked wet and cold. His green eyes instantly reminded me of Peter. What if?
I couldn’t stop myself. I rolled down my window and called him over. His name was Joel. He was 17. I told him that I knew that. We chatted. I bypassed the spare change, reached into my designer handbag to open my designer wallet and gave him paper money. I gave him my business card. I asked him to call his mom. I got honked at. He very quietly thanked me. He packed up his backpack and crossed the street in front of me. He waved, walked, and then ran back to my window. He thanked me again and told me that he was going to get something to eat and that he would call his mom.
I turned off my radio. I wondered if Joel would follow through. I knew the chances were slim, but I had to believe that maybe, just maybe he would. I knew that many would ridicule me for thinking so. I had to hope.
I headed home to my son, who was still safe, warm, fed, and had his beloved furry companion by his side. I thought about my busy life and wondered if my work – the politics, the teaching, the community building, and the volunteer work – was helping or hindering my own social fabric. I love you Peter.
Karen Scian and her “Social Fabric”
Author: Karen Scian is a Waterloo City Councillor and Chair of the Finance and Strategic Planning Committee at the City of Waterloo. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo, a Bachelor of Education from Western, and a Master of Arts in Leadership. Karen has spearheaded Waterloo’s commitment to open and transparent government by hosting innovative online events such as an All-Access Budget Townhall, Twitter Townhalls, and working with the community to revamp the City of Waterloo’s Citizen Committees. Karen is an instructor at Conestoga College’s School of Business and Hospitality, teaching Civic Engagement, Urban Studies, Ethics, and Sustainability Management to tomorrow’s leaders. She is also a trustee of the Waterloo Public Library and the Chair of the Board of Directors for Community Justice Initiatives (CJI), a local restorative justice organization.
Author: Doug McKlusky was born in Ottawa but is a long time resident of Waterloo Region including his university days. Doug recently retired from 30 years with the Waterloo Region District School Board. Doug was co-chair of the inREACH Street Gang Prevention Project until it closed in December 2013. But in his newly retired days, time has very quickly filled with important work such as Out of the Cold, Nutrition for Learning, Forest Heights Community Association and the Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee for the City of Kitchener. And, wisely, Doug connects all his work to being an all-around ambassador for Friends of Crime Prevention – it really is about connection.
