After a lengthy attempt at revival, the Ottawa chapter of the Block Parent program is closing its doors Jan. 31.
Last October, the 79 remaining Block Parents in the Ottawa area were sent letters requesting all signs be returned to Ottawa Police, because the program was folding.
“We just ran out of options and ideas of how to rejuvenate this program,” says Jean-Paul Vincelette, media relations officer for Ottawa Police.
Based solely on volunteers, the Block Parent program began 40 years ago in London, Ont., after the abduction and murder of a young boy.
Currently there are 379 communities and 45,343 homes across Canada that participate in the police-partnered program.
But as Vincelette says, “If the community doesn’t have the motivation or interest to run the program, it just doesn’t happen.”
In Ottawa it simply burned out, says Marg Rooke, chairperson of Block Parent Ontario. After 20 years of community crime prevention in the capital, the once avid volunteer base has been steadily dwindling since 2001.
The iconic red and white sign which formerly filled neighbourhood windows with pride, is unfamiliar to most modern youth. Rooke says awareness starts with education in schools, where children are taught about safety.
Ironically, it is this sign that has raised questions of program security in recent years.
“Anyone can put a sign in their window,” says Const. Nathan Hoedeman of the Somerset Community Police Centre. “There are some risks involved.”
Just two years ago, Block Parent organizers vowed to revamp the aging program with new screening measures and updated security features.
“Society has changed an awful lot since the program was established 40 years ago,” says Rooke. “We needed to address that.”
In addition to following Volunteer Canada’s 10-step safe-approval process, each Block Parent applicant is personally interviewed and given a home visit. As well, volunteers are re-screened on a regular basis to ensure safety.
The window signs were also updated. Rooke says every sign issued has a serial number, which can be tracked at the national, provincial and municipal level.
“We’re just in the process now of getting the word out across the province that these measures are in place, and hopefully people will come forth in the future to volunteer for the program,” says Rooke.
However, other crime prevention programs are ready to fill the Block Parent void.
“Neighbourhood Watch is about getting to know all your neighbours,” says Hoedeman. “Instead of just one person being assigned as a Block Parent, the whole neighbourhood is involved.”
Whatever the method, Vincelette says Ottawa Police stand behind community-generated programs.
“If you’re empowered to care for your community and keep an eye out to ensure it’s harmonious, that can only help us,” he says. “If you see something that looks suspicious and you call police for help, that has a positive impact on crime.”
Rooke says this willingness to actively improve a neighbourhood makes a difference.
“Some parents only use their sign for a couple hours on the weekend, but those few hours could be the time when someone needs help.”
Rooke and her husband have been Block Parents in London, Ont., since 1984.
Even though their home has never been used, Rooke says it doesn’t mean the program is not effective.
“By putting our sign in the window, we’re letting our neighbours and community know that we care, and we’re here to help if they need it."