New police unit will attempt to address complex needs of Regina's downtown area

A new unit to the Regina Police Service (RPS) has been introduced that is meant address the unique and complex needs of the downtown area.

The Alternative Response Officers (ARO), are currently made up of seven special constables. Their goals are to assist in creating a safer and more welcoming city.

“We need to think outside of the box in terms of what’s good for our community. Provide that proactive presence and really engage with people,” RPS Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies said.

The ARO members recently finished five weeks of in-service training and will now head out to spend time with RPS assigned to the area.

Vlad Grygoruk is a member of ARO and said he’s looking forward to getting out working with the community.

“If we Walk around the downtown just to show we are present here, if that helps reduce crime, this is why we’re here,” Grygoruk said.

The ARO program has been developed over the past few years.

Much planning and research was done, including looking into how larger cities keep their central locations safe.

As the revitalization of downtown Regina continues, the City of Regina said the ARO program will be a great way to insure citizens the area is safe to go to.

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“To be able to have a presence downtown to address [crime] as it is happening is crucial for safety and business viability,” Mayor Sandra Masters said.

Coun. Lori Bresciani, the chair of the board of police commissioners echoed a similar response. She hopes in the near future peoples’ attitudes and perceptions of downtown will change.

“I hope that we see more these constables here because I think it’s going to be a game changer for our city. Proactive policing is truly what it is,” Bresciani said.

ARO will work closely with the Regina Street Team, business owners, local security and community members to meet the areas needs.