Rural Crime

Map of Foothills Rural Crime Watch Areas (PDF)

Thieves often look for opportunity or an easy target, so it is important to make your home as secure as possible.  If we make our entire neighbourhood a difficult place to commit a crime, it will discourage thieves.  Here are some ideas that will help to make your home, and our whole neighbourhood, safer from thieves:

• Look out for your neighbours.  Keep your eyes open for cars or people acting suspiciously.  If you see suspicious behaviour, notify the RCMP.  Do not insert yourself into an active crime.
• Let your neighbours know when you will be away so they can keep an eye on your home during your absence.
• Ensure windows and doors are securely locked when leaving your home.  Many break-ins occur through doors and windows that are left open or unlocked, or have faulty locks.  
• Install/activate a security system and use it.  While a security system may not prevent a break-in, it has shown to reduce the amount of time thieves are in your home.
• Install motion sensor lights.  Areas lit all night are actually targeted more frequently by vandals than those not lit at all.  Motion sensor lights have proven to be effective and surprise the would-be burglar when sensor lights click on.
• Install motion-sensor security cameras in conjunction with motion sensor lights.
• Don’t hide your key under the door mat. Ensure your spare key is well-hidden, or at a neighbours instead. Even the best security won't deter thieves if you don't LOCK THE DOOR!
• Guard your garage door.  Do not leave your opener in your car if parked in your driveway.  Consider keeping your garage door opener with you.
• Keep shrubbery around entrances and walkways trimmed. This helps eliminate easy hiding spots for a thief to access your home.
• Make your home look occupied.  Use inside-light timers.  Have window coverings.

Observe – Record – Report

The RCMP encourages anyone who witnesses suspicious or dangerous activity to contact their office and make a formal complaint.

A security gate at the entrance to your property is the owner's responsibility. When you provide gate information to Foothills Regional 911 Dispatch Center, they provide that information to emergency responders when there is an emergency at your property.

• Provide your gate code or lock box code and details about the gate.
• If a key required for the gate or lock on a chain, provide a lock box from Okotoks/High River Lock & Key (or other source) and place it near the gate.
• Some gate manufacturers set their gates to open at the blast of our sirens (check with your installer).
• If no information about your gate security is available, as a last resort - the Fire department will cut the lock, lift the gate off the hinges, pull the gate open with a chain from the fire truck engine, or various degrees of destruction to gain access. EMS and Police will not have that option. Sometimes they call the Fire Department for assistance when there is no code info on file. The destruction of the gate in the case of an emergency is also the owner's responsibility.
• Remember to let your Alarm Company know if you have a gate and code.
• Keep the information about your security gate current - remember to update 911 and alarm company with new gate codes.

Register your gate information with our Foothills Regional 911 Dispatch Centre. An information note will be added to your address in our Computer-Aided-Dispatch records, so it will come up automatically when you call in, if from a land line. If you call from a cell or VOIP phone, when you give your address and they enter it in, the info will come up in the system as it is attached to your land location and 911 address.

To register with Foothills Regional 911 Dispatch Centre, send an email.

Include your name, legal address, 911 address, phone number, type of gate and lock details. You will receive an acknowledgement.*

* Please note: Security gate information provided to 911 Foothills Regional Dispatch is confidential and will only be used in case of an emergency.