Downtown deterrent: New Sydney, N.S., police building aims to curb crime, vandalism

For the first time in roughly 30 years, there is a police building in downtown Sydney, N.S.

On Monday, Cape Breton Regional Police opened its new community office on Charlotte Street.

"The majority of calls for police in the downtown core have simply been people that have nowhere else to go,” said Regional Police Chief Robert Walsh.

Break-ins and vandalism have become more common in the downtown in recent years.

While the business community has long been asking for a larger police presence, Walsh said some of those living on the street have asked for the same thing.

"We hope this is going to be a location where people can find us in their space, where they can come and reach directly to police officers and have that engagement,” the police chief said.

Downtown business owner Craig Boudreau said while he is confident the move will help cut down on crime, something had to be done to make people feel safer in the downtown core.

"It's been tough. It's been tough for the merchants, absolutely,” Boudreau said. "I think public perception has gotten to the point where they're concerned. So we have to act."

A multi-million dollar facelift for Charlotte Street, along with efforts to bring in more foot traffic and cruise ship passengers, are also cited as reasons for increased policing.

"We're going to have more residential living in the downtown, we're going to have the NSCC downtown,” said Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor Eldon MacDonald. "I think it sends a message that we care about the community, we care about the money and infrastructure that's being invested."

While the new location will be actively staffed between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday to Friday, the hope is a more visible police presence in the downtown area will help deter criminal activity during all hours.

"The bad guy knows that we're in the area, and we're ready to go at any moment,” said Cst. Gary Fraser, one of the police officers who will staff the new downtown police building.

The new police location comes on the heels of online crime reporting, which the force introduced in March. When it comes to the downtown they say more changes could be in the works.

"One such idea is to have video surveillance cameras,” Chief Walsh said. “This has been a very successful program in Charlottetown, for example."

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