My neighbors are movie stars now. 

Well, maybe not movie stars, but stars of one of five new Make the Call community crime-reporting videos. Margaret and John Larson play “Mary” and “Serge” discussing boarded-up and abandoned houses in the 118 Avenue District. In the end, they decide to “make the call” to curb crime. Options include Edmonton Police Service (EPS), 211, 311, City Bylaw, Crime Stoppers, and Hire Good.

At first, John Larson was nervous about acting. He soon got over it. “It was such an easy role because it made sense,” he says. 

“People who come to our part of the city feel the involvement of the community,” added Margaret. “I love the area. It’s so diverse.”

Make the Call is a new initiative of the Green Alleys project that started in 2020. The project exists to increase the safety and happiness in the 118 Avenue District by promoting alley beautification, traffic calming, and crime reporting.  The video series encourages residents to reach out to EPS or other appropriate resources.

“If we experience something like street harassment and don’t make the call, nothing will change,” Christy Morin told the crowded Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse on November 22, launch day for the initiative. The executive director of Arts on the Ave remembered thinking, “Something is wrong here. When people experience negative issues, why don’t they call the police? We need to do something.”

The videos were the result. “These short videos showcase the role each and every one of us have to play for community safety and well-being,” notes Kelly Husack of REACH Edmonton, a partner in the project. REACH Edmonton’s role since 2010 is to significantly increase community safety.

Five easy-to-understand video “sketches” were written by police officers with community members such as Christy Morin. They focus on subjects such as sexual harassment on our streets, drug abuse, improperly disposed garbage and debris, traffic offences, fires, deserted houses, and suspicious activities. Roles are performed by local people.

“Our community policing is known nationally for being unique to Edmonton,” says Morin.

Supporting the launch were CBC Morning Radio host Mark Connolly and several representatives from Edmonton Police Service. They were joined by  members of community leagues such as Eastwood, Parkdale Cromdale, Alberta Avenue, McCauley, and Delton.

“This is a vibrant community,” Enyinnah Okere, chief operations officer for Edmonton Police Service’s Community Safety and Well-Being Bureau,  told the crowd. “When I first arrived in Edmonton, it was one of the first communities that I visited.”

If you need to report something, there are many ways to Make the Call. Find more information on the Arts on the Ave website. artsontheave.org/make-the-call