Stratford poring over new, detailed report from RCMP

Stratford town council hopes to better address traffic and public safety concerns with help from a more detailed monthly report from RCMP.

For the first time this month, council received a report from RCMP which includes not only the number of incidents from traffic violations, to theft and assault within the town, but also details about when and where the incidents happened.

"It certainly helps us, if there's a problem at an intersection, then we can concentrate on that, and perhaps make it better," said Coun. Gary Clow, chair of the safety services committee.

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More detailed than previous reports

Clowsaid theretypically wasn't much detail included in previous reports from RCMP.

"In the past we would get a report from the RCMP, and it would be simply numbers," said Clow.

A more detailed report is something council has been asking for for a while.

"Council would like perhaps a little more information on just where the speeding tickets are happening. Whether it's the Trans-CanadaHighway, or subdivisions within the town of Stratford,"said Clow.

"For an example, this monththere was nine traffic accidents, and council was wondering just exactly where those accidents were happening."

Where to focus attention

Clow said details from the report could help council when it comes to deciding where to focus its attention.

We're hoping to condense it so that it's not as much. Because it is a lot of work.- Gary Clow

He said Stratford has received permission from the province to install a speed bump in town on a pilot basis this winter.

He said the location of the speed bump had yet to be decided, andtraffic data from RCMPcould help in the decision making process.

Moving forward

RCMPhas not guaranteed that it would be able to compile a similar report each month, but Clow said he hopes to receive reports in months to come with at least some of the extra detail.

Clow, along with the rest of council, acknowledged the extra work RCMPput in in order to compile the detailed report. Council agreed that it would review the report, to determine which information would be most useful for the town, and which information would not be needed in future reports.

"We're hoping to condense it so that it's not as much, because it is a lot of work," saidClow.

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