Peace River’s West Hill has a new initiative aimed at enhancing safety for local businesses and its customers. Launched in December, the Westside Patrol Program brings together a group of businesses to fund and maintain a visible security presence in the area, balancing both cost and effectiveness.
The program builds on earlier experiments downtown last spring and summer, when APEX Security worked with local businesses to address safety concerns. Following those results, APEX has now been hired to patrol the West Hill, providing regular checks on properties, reporting concerns, and maintaining a visible presence to deter crime.
Allen Gukert of APEX says the success of the program relies heavily on strong relationships with the business community and local RCMP. The Westside Patrol Program has been preventative and supportive, providing extra eyes and ears on the ground.
Feedback from businesses has been overwhelmingly positive since the program’s launch. This has lead to exploring options to expand the initiative to other areas and business groups, aiming to reduce risk and increase safety.
Allen Gukert, with APEX Security…
Keith Hopper, Trending 55
