Positive Tickets will be returning to the South Cowichan area this spring!

South Cowichan Community Policing would like to thank all of our generous sponsors over the years who have made this program possible!

Supporting positive programs like this makes a difference in the lives of children and youth in our community.

Exact program dates coming soon…

What is Positive Tickets? 

Positive Tickets is a program that rewards youth safety by recognizing safe practices. Youth in the community are given “positive tickets” for exhibiting positive behaviours or practices, like wearing a helmet when riding a bike.

South Cowichan Community Policing members, local RCMP members, Block Watch Leads, and other appropriate community representatives “catch” youth displaying positive behaviours or actions in their community and reward them with a “ticket.” Tickets are redeemed at our Mill Bay office (845B Deloume Rd.) for a $10-15 coupon or gift card for a fun activity or prize. Every ticket given out in a calendar year will be entered in a grand prize draw (date to be announced). We hope to have at least 20 grand prizes this year!

Youth may receive a ticket for positive behaviours like:

  • Practicing personal safety such as wearing a bike helmet or other protective/high visibility item
  • Doing various good deeds in their community
  • Participating in community activities
  • Volunteering
  • Demonstrating community pride by picking up trash or removing graffiti
  • Deterring crime
  • Adhering to school crossing rules
  • Being a role model for others

Positive tickets are awarded to youth by RCMP members, Block Watch Leads, and Community Policing members to create positive relationships between youth, their community, and local businesses. The program also offers opportunities for RCMP members to interact with youth in an informal/less authoritative manner to create positive relationships and deter future crime in youth populations.

The History of Positive Tickets

The principles of this innovative approach have been shown to significantly:

  • Reduce juvenile troublemaking and related crime costs
  • Boost self-esteem and morale
  • Improve community relations with youth

Why is Positive Tickets an important program for the community? 

From a safety education viewpoint, Positive Tickets allows youth to be recognized for their positive/safe behaviour, reinforcing safe practices with the individual youth and their cohort through public recognition and rewards.

This is accomplished several ways. For example, if one youth is “ticketed” for wearing a bike helmet while riding at the skate park:

  1. The youth is more likely to wear a helmet the next time they ride,
  2. They are more likely to tell their friends and peers about bike safety and the importance of wearing a helmet, and
  3. It provides an opportunity for nearby youth to see the benefits and rewards of acting safely, inspiring them to also adopt safety-conscious behaviours.

Having adults in a young person’s life (e.g., business owners, community policing members, Block Watch Leads, RCMP members, etc.) that they know are safe people to talk to/reach out to improves safety by increasing the likelihood youth will reach out for help rather than living in fear or taking matters into their own hands (decreasing youth-on-youth crime). It also strengthens their connection to their community and increases positive participation, leading to a decrease in petty theft , property crime, and vandalism.

Who benefits from the program? 

Youth

Youth in Duncan/North Cowichan, South Cowichan, Chemainus, and Cowichan Bay communities will directly benefit from legitimate reinforcement of positive behaviour (Positive Tickets) and learn which behaviours are safe and appropriate. An increase in safety practices within youth populations has the ability to:

  • Shift/improve public perception of youth
  • Increase the number of youth who model positive behaviours to others (especially those younger than them)
  • Increase overall cohort safety
  • Create positive relationships and safe spaces with local business, RCMP members, and Community Policing members

Youth benefit from having positive relationships with local officers and Community Policing staff by having other safe adult(s) to speak to if something negative happens in their life. It also creates safe spaces at participating businesses and Community Policing offices where youth feel safe to visit if they need help or to disengage from a negative situation.

Community Members

Community members can benefit indirectly by:

  • Living in communities where safety practices are modeled and favoured from a young age
  • Regaining community trust in law enforcement (leading to better/increased reporting and decreased crime)
  • Creating general awareness of positive behaviours within the community
  • Creating positive relationships between youth and community members and businesses (decreasing overall property crime and theft)

Businesses

Businesses benefit both directly and indirectly from this program through:

  • Public recognition of Positive Tickets program sponsors on the Community Policing website, social pages, posters, and directly on the Positive Tickets, demonstrating local support (and providing increased visibility and revenue potential for sponsors)
  • A contribution to the overall safety and positive behaviours of Cowichan Valley youth
  • The creation of positive relationships with the next generation and future members of the workforce (decreasing probability of youth property crime, theft, and vandalism against businesses)

Thank you for your contribution to the Positive Tickets program!

  • Coast Capital Savings – Mill Bay
  • Edward Jones – Mill Bay Centre
  • Fit Your Way – Chaster Road
  • Fortis BC
  • Mill Bay Synergy – Mill Bay Centre
  • Peninsula Co-Op – Mill Bay
  • Pharmasave – Mill Bay
  • Royal Bank of Canada – Mill Bay
  • Rotary Club of South Cowichan
  • Veridis Plumbing & Heating Ltd
  • West Coast Roar Motorcycling
  • Wise Financial Services