The Portage la Prairie RCMP Detachment was present at this week's Rural Municipality (RM) of Portage la Prairie council meeting. Staff Sergeant Darcy Turko shared the quarterly stats for activity in the RM of Portage. He also mentioned the Community Safety Officer program, which has already begun work in city of Portage. He notes that he also detailed a fund that the RM could possibly take advantage of.

"We discussed the Civil Forfeiture Act. That's money that's being seized from drug dealers, stolen vehicles; the province gives that money back to organizations, so it's something we apply for, usually around February."

Turko notes that the funds are used to benefit the community, but there aren't many specific parameters.

"It could be anything. There's been vehicles applied for, there's money for any kind of group in town that wants to. I know, one year, they sent kids to camp. Whatever you can think of, it just has to be a one-time expenditure so it's a one-time deal. It's just to better the community."

Turko encourages groups in the community to reach out to the RCMP to apply for funding, and as always, be in contact if you see something suspicious.

"If you're noticing a lot of movement, people coming and going, short stays, people you don't know that are living there, we always say 'Try to find out who your neighbours are.' Talk to your neighbours, and normally you'll know. If you think something is going on, call us and we'll look into it. If it's nothing, great. But if there is something there, we'll do our best to shut it down. If there is drugs and money there, that goes to the province, and we can apply to get that for programs in the City of Portage or the RM."