Police target youth crime in Mill Woods over summer

Aprogram aimed at reducing crime in the Mill Woods Town Centre shopping centre area over the summerwas so successful last year, city Edmonton police are renewing it fora second year.

The project enablespolice to get to know young people between the ages of 14and 24hanging out at the mall in an effort to reduce "loitering, crime and disorder in the area," said Const. Jeffrey Westman.

Edmonton Transitdonated an office space at the Mill Woods Transit Centre where two full-time officers will meetwith the public and spend more time in the area while completing other policing duties.

Last year, the effort involving police, transit and area businesses ran fromMayto mid-August.

During that time, the number of youthsloitering in the Mill Woods Town Centre area dropped from about 150to between 50 and 75,robberies were reduced by 30 per cent andthe number of stolen vehiclescut in half.

The program also helped police solve more crimes with thenumber of offences resulting in chargesdoubling to 40.

This year a youth worker will alsojoin the program to work with youths one-on-one.