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As more and more people in Regina avoid the downtown core because of crime, the area could start to feel safer soon.
The Regina Police Service is opening a new satellite office inside the Cornwall Centre for the police force’s Downtown Safety Team, which is made up of both police and alternative response officers. Regina Police Chief Farooq Sheikh said the new office is meant to act as a tool to help deter crime, but it is not a dedicated police station that officers will respond to 911 calls from.
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“It’s not about speeding up response times; that is not the purpose of the police station down there. It is about having that visible presence to increase trust and confidence,” said Regina Police Chief Farooq Sheikh. (Abby Zeiverink/980 CJME)
“It’s not about speeding up response times; that is not the purpose of the police station down there,” the police chief said. “It is about having that visible presence to increase trust and confidence, community engagement, even to do some recruitment strategies at the same time.”
Sheikh said the move follows concerns raised by people in the community who said they want more of a police presence in the Queen City’s downtown.
“It helps deter crime because if somebody is going to come in and they’re thinking about committing a crime, they’ll think twice because they see that visible presence,” Sheikh said.
Regina Downtown Business Improvement District executive director Judith Veresuk, Mayor Chad Bachynski, Cornwall Centre marketing manager Katie Dockham, Cornwall Centre general manager Kendra Wren, and Regina Police Chief Farooq Sheikh announce the new satellite office. (Abby Zeiverink/980 CJME)
“Because we are going to have an office space here, my expectation is that my officers are still patrolling all downtown, but they’ve got a base so they don’t have to go back to the police station.”
The satellite office, which is to open in the spring, will be located on the main level of the shopping centre, near the Saskatchewan Drive East entrance.
Sheikh said it will act as a space for recruitment and events, along with providing a workspace for officers.
“This is just a base where they can go and park their bikes,” Sheikh added. “It’s a base where they can go and do the reports. It’s a base they can go speak to somebody if they’re dealing with a low-level offense like shoplifting, so they don’t have to take them back to the police station.”
The police chief said he expects the office to be used seven days a week once it is opened.
Sheikh said his goal is to make the downtown core feel more safe.
A rendering of the new Regina Police satellite office, which will be located on the main level of the Cornwall Centre, near the Sask Drive East entrance. (Abby Zeiverink/980 CJME)
“I want my downtown to be the safest. I want people to feel safe to come shopping here. I don’t want to see shops closing down at all,” he said.
“If there are offenses happening, I want us to be able to deal with it, and I want to free up my other resources to go and deal with more critical, serious matters.”
The satellite office is being built in collaboration with the Cornwall Centre, so the police service won’t have to pay for the space, and Sheik said it won’t cost taxpayers anything.
Cornwall Centre general manager Kendra Wren said the partnership is meant to better the downtown.
“I think we’re starting to see some of the impact of it right now, just with the downtown safety team being deployed and the (alternative response officers). But I think visibility is everything, and from a customer shopper standpoint, knowing that RPS is in our downtown is going to be a good part of it,” she said.
“I’d say in the spring, I just feel like that extra-level additive safety will probably bring peace of mind.”
Wren said she is most excited to have a greater police presence and partnership between the centre’s security, the Regina Police Service, and downtown businesses.
“I think the excitement of having that extra added level of security will just be really great for everybody in our downtown,” Wren said.