Community Safety And Well-Being Plan For Huron County Launches Social Media Campaign

by Bob Montgomery

Huron County is launching a new social media campaign to educate Huron County residents about Community Safety and Security.

The campaign is a part of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for Huron County that was established by the lower-tier municipalities in 2021. Central Huron Deputy Mayor Marg Anderson is the Co-Chair of the Community and Well-Being Oversight Committee. She says the goal of this particular part of their campaign is to make the community more aware of some of the issues. In 2023 Huron County OPP had 555 occurrences related to property theft, which is a concerning trend for a small community. So, one of their goals is to encourage people to lock and secure their belongings to deter theft.

During this campaign the OPP will be focusing on the big four issues on the road. They include speeding, seat belts, distracted driving, and impaired driving. Anderson says the town of Goderich and Central Huron have partnered with the OPP to get funding through the Safe Schools and Proceeds of Crime Initiative. Through that program they received funding that will allow the OPP to go into schools and talk about things like safety and organized crime. That funding will also help to provide training for teachers, students, and parents that will focus on drug awareness, mental health and risk assessment, and it will help the OPP build on the relationship they already have with the schools.

Another part of the Plan is the assistance it can provide for people who have been impacted by a crime or traumatic experience. Victim Services Huron Perth can offer support and help a person navigate next steps. Police don't have to be involved for Victim Services Huron Perth to offer supports. Individuals can also make direct referrals themselves, or on behalf of someone they know who may be struggling.

The campaign will focus on road safety, how to secure your property, the impacts of vaping and smoking, as well as highlights of OPP's School Resource officer and many other informative aspects.

The campaign will start on July 1st and be pushed out by various agencies and organizations connected to the Community Safety and Well-Being Committee for Huron County.

More information about the plan can be found on their website at www.cswbhuron.ca.

Marg Anderson, Deputy Mayor Central Huron