Rocky View County’s (RVC) agricultural department is coordinating an upcoming workshop on farm and rural security later this month, with the help of members of a Cochrane-based rural crime watch association and the Cochrane RCMP detachment.
The workshop, which is to be held online on March 16 from 6 to 8 p.m., will include presentations from D’Arcy Boardman and Jared Serviss of the Cochrane Foothills Protective Association, and Cst. Nathan Moore of the Cochrane RCMP.
According to Matthew Chilakos, agricultural services officer with RVC, the free workshop is geared toward rural property owners who want to learn more about farm and acreage security issues and the tools available to better secure their property.
“We wanted to use the local knowledge of the County, so we have found a few very good local sources of information,” Chilakos said in an email.
He added the webinar will include methods to bolster security around acreages and farms, equipment that can be used to this end, and different strategies property owners can use to reduce the chance of theft and vandalism on one’s property.
“It [shows residents] how to better safeguard their property, how to best mitigate the chances of being a victim, and understanding risks associated with rural living,” he said.
Some of the risks of living in a rural locale include the potential for theft of farm and maintenance equipment and fuel, which Chilakos said are the primary concerns.
He added that theft of grain and cattle has been a known issue as well that the webinar will address.
Finally, the workshop will discuss methods of security including constructing gates and fences around one’s property, installing alarm systems and live feed cameras, as well as automated lights, and fuel locks – and even the more traditional method of owning a dog to alert one of an intruder on their property.
Those interested in attending the webinar are encouraged to access the link through the County’s various social media platforms, as well as on their agriculture events calendar at rockyview.ca.
Additionally, a link to the online Zoom webinar can be found directly at bit.ly/3tt4cfj
