Sexsmith’s Citizen on Patrol Society has been recognized provincially. The town won the Minister’s Award for Municipal Excellence in the Safe Communities category at the Alberta Urban Municipalities conference in Calgary.
C.O.P.S. was started up in Sexsmith by town councillor Isak Skjaveland in 1998, but interest waned after four years. He got people involved again in 2006 and the volunteers are now an integral part of the community.
They patrol parks, schools, business areas and local neighbourhoods and report any unusual or suspicious activity to RCMP. The program is meant to lighten their work load, with 33 current members.