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Police Week 2005: Working together for safer communities

Ottawa, May 15, 2005 -- The Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today marked the beginning of Police Week 2005, which takes place this year from May 15 to 21.

“Police Week is a time to recognize the significant contribution of law enforcement across this country towards ensuring safe communities,” said Minister McLellan. “Partnerships among all levels of government, police and citizens are essential to fighting crime in our communities.”

This year, law enforcement benefited from new tools to help keep Canada and Canadians safe, including the implementation of a new National Sex Offender Registry that came into force on December 15, 2004. Budget 2005 strengthened the presence of the RCMP and other law enforcement agencies on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway to further enhance the security of Canada’s marine transportation system and maritime borders. Additionally, the National DNA Data Bank has now recorded over 3200 crime scene-to-offender matches.

Police Week began in 1970 as a collaborative effort between the RCMP, provincial police agencies and the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (formerly Solicitor General Canada ). Each year, it is held around May 15th which is recognized internationally as Peace Officer Memorial Day. The goal of Police Week is to build strong ties between police forces and communities and encourage closer partnerships and collaboration to enhance public safety.

Throughout the week, community groups and police services across the country will host special activities and displays that promote police-community partnerships. During this time, police services take the opportunity to showcase the various expertise, equipment and technology they provide to the communities from coast to coast.

Police Week also provides an opportunity to showcase policing as a career. For more information about recruiting, visit the RCMP website at www.rcmp.gc.ca or contact your local police service.

See also:

• Police Week Backgrounder
• RCMP recriting -- Policing as a career

For more information:

Alex Swann
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Anne McLellan
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
(613) 991-2863

Media Relations
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
613-991-0657