Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association was established in 1989 as the Alberta Community Police Advisory Committee by provincial Police Services as a means to discuss mutual crime related issues within communities/police/government.
The Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association (ACCPA) was founded in 1989 as the Alberta Community Police Advisory Committee by provincial Police Services to address shared crime-related concerns between communities, police, and government. In 1990, the organization was renamed the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association (ACCPA).
ACCPA works to improve community safety across Alberta through education and crime prevention awareness. The association connects rural and urban communities, organizations, and agencies to promote collaboration and strengthen public safety.
By encouraging communities to stay connected, engaged, and empowered, ACCPA helps build safer and more sustainable communities where everyone feels a sense of belonging.
Bringing agencies and citizens together to build safer, stronger, and more connected communities. We aim to promote awareness, encourage collaboration, and support initiatives that improve safety and wellbeing for everyone. By working together, we help create communities where people feel secure, supported, and empowered.
Raised in Peace River, Orren Ford has always put community first. As a third-term Town Councillor, he has supported public and community safety through his work on the Community Safety Advisory Committee and RCMP Advisory Committee. He has helped advance initiatives such as Safe Summer Strategies, the positive ticket campaign, and CPTED awareness. He has also served with the fire department for 23 years and supported youth sports for more than 24 years.
I joined ACCPA to learn how conference ideas could be applied in communities of all sizes, including small and rural communities. I also wanted to bring northern Alberta perspectives to the organization and share useful information back in Peace River.
I hope to see safer communities built through shared responsibility, where everyone has a role to play. Safety ideas should be practical, inclusive, and relevant for smaller and northern communities too.
Corinna and her husband moved to the area in 1993 from England, where they have raised their two children, Matthew and Jasmine, and built up their apiary business.
Corinna recently retired from her 25-year profession as a Registered Massage Therapist. She has served on many boards and committees, and has always volunteered for activities through her children’s schools and sports programs.
Corinna is Chair of the Northern Sunrise Rural Crime Watch Association and a past volunteer for the St. Isidore/Three Creeks Fire Department, where she completed her National Professional Firefighter Certification and Fire Medical Responder Training.
Corinna was honoured to be elected for the Three Creeks/Wesley Creek Ward and is Reeve for Northern Sunrise County.
Madison is the Operations Coordinator with the Calgary Youth Justice Society, where she supports Youth Justice Committees around the province. With a background in psychology and experience working in both northern and urban communities, she brings a strong understanding of diverse community needs.
Madison joined ACCPA to contribute youth justice perspectives and collaborate with others who are committed to building safer communities. She values ACCPA's focus on prevention and partnership, and believes meaningful progress comes from working collectively and addressing root causes.
She hopes to see a shift toward more proactive and inclusive approaches to community safety. Madison believes in the power of community connection as the key for well-being.
Samuel is a qualified professional accountant with a CPA designation. He is a financial analyst with more than 10 years’ experience working in different finance units, including process improvement projects, supply chain finance, financial planning, and accounting, within a multinational Fast-Moving Consumer Group. He has a diversified background in IT, with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a certification in the Enterprise Resource Planning Financial and Controlling module. Samuel has been involved as a volunteer in leadership positions for various non-profit organizations, including an old student association, residential association, and cooperative society, in his original home of Nigeria. These organizations delivered a number of noteworthy projects, including school building renovation and community conflict resolution, that positively impacted the lives of people in the environment.
I am motivated to join the Alberta Community for Crime Prevention board because I believe that meaningful community safety is built through collaboration, prevention, and trust and not only through law enforcement. Communities safety is strongest when residents, organizations, and leaders work together to address the root causes of crime, such as social isolation, lack of opportunity, and inequity. Being part of the ACCPA board would provide me the opportunities to support and contribute to strategies and visions that empower individuals and strengthen neighborhoods before harm occurs.
The change I wish to see in the world in the context of community safety is a shift from reactive responses to crime toward a more holistic, prevention-focused approach to safety and partnership between the law enforcement agencies and the communities. This also means advancing initiatives that prioritize education, mental health support, restorative practices, and inclusive engagement between all parties. Ultimately, I envision safer communities not just as places with less crime, but as places where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
I worked for Northern Sunrise County for over 9 years in the Agricultural Services Department based in Nampa. My position was Agricultural Field Foreman. Our team oversaw the roadside mowing program, assisted and trained seasonal summer staff, and helped maintain County parks such as the ski trail in Harmon Valley Park. We also supported park clean-ups in both Harmon Valley and Murphy’s Flats Day Use Area. In the spring and fall, I enjoy spending time with farmers in the field, helping with harvest and other field work during their busy seasons. Before this, I spent time running mulchers and welding, working in many areas of our beautiful province, other provinces, and in the oilfield industry. Currently, a proud endeavour of mine is serving as Chair of the Heart River REA. Through this board, I have spent time getting to know people in our County and helping make decisions on improvements for power in the Heart River area. I am also a member of both the Nampa and Harmon Valley Fire Departments. Emergency response is a big part of our county, and I take pride in being part of it. Helping my neighbours has always been important to me. We are always looking for members. I am very proud to represent Ward 1, Harmon Valley/Reno, on Council. I have spoken with many residents and heard what they love about living in our County, as well as the areas they feel are important for improvement. I share those feelings.
It is an honour to join the ACCPA board as a newly elected official. I see community safety as an important issue across the province, and I believe every community needs to be a safe place to raise families.
I would like to see stronger programs in place to help the people who need support the most, along with tougher laws that hold repeat criminals accountable for their crimes.
Trina Kennedy is the founder of Trina Kennedy Coaching & Training, formerly RPAC Consulting, where she provides specialized training in mental health, trauma-informed practice, workplace resilience, and leadership development. With over 30 years of experience as a Registered Social Worker and trainer, Trina has worked extensively with organizations and communities across Alberta to strengthen well-being, resilience, and connection. Her passion for crime prevention is rooted in a mental health and trauma-informed perspective, recognizing the profound impact unresolved trauma can have on individuals, families, and communities. Through education, coaching, and systemic awareness, Trina believes we can meaningfully reduce crime by addressing root causes, dismantling stigma, and equipping people with the tools they need to thrive. An award-winning author of From Trauma to Triumph and What Lies Between, an international speaker, and a certified Women-Centered Coach, Trina brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She is deeply committed to advancing ACCPA’s mission and sees this role as an opportunity to help create safer, healthier communities where everyone can reach their full potential.
It is an honour to join the ACCPA board as a newly elected official. I see community safety as an important issue across the province, and I believe every community needs to be a safe place to raise families.
I would like to see stronger programs in place to help the people who need support the most, along with tougher laws that hold repeat criminals accountable for their crimes.
Community safety and well-being require ongoing effort, grounded in humility, courage, empathy, and respect.
Max was drawn to the ACCPA Board by his passion for fostering connections, building community, and raising awareness on key public safety issues. He is committed to facilitating conversations that bring people together and inspire collaboration across all levels of government and the private sector.
Max’s goal is to help ACCPA build capacity in both rural and urban communities across Alberta, working toward actionable solutions that improve public safety and social outcomes for all Canadians.
After an extensive period of budget travel, Max gained a deeper understanding of Canada’s global reputation for opportunity and safety. Recognizing that education was the next step, he continued working as a carpenter while earning a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, with a minor in Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures.
He is passionate about language, culture, and literature as ways to create pathways of understanding and promote community. Looking ahead, Max hopes to share his appreciation for Canada and Alberta, focusing on the positive values of equality, safety, and respect that unite us as a thriving democratic nation.
Lawrence Jansen is the Community and Education Coordinator for the Edmonton Police Service.
Lawrence has been working with EPS for 19 years, engaging communities and individuals by providing community safety and crime prevention support and resources.
As the liaison for EPS’s Neighbourhood Empowerment Team, known as NET, Lawrence connects communities with the appropriate EPS resources.
Lawrence strongly believes that collaboration is critical to making communities safer places.
Julie Matthews was an investigative TV reporter for 19 years, including 10 years as Global Edmonton’s Troubleshooter, where she helped solve problems for Albertans. She later became a peace officer and senior investigator with the Government of Alberta’s Consumer Investigations Unit, where she worked for the past decade. She now works as a freelance fraud prevention consultant, travelling across Alberta to educate communities and businesses about the latest frauds and scams. Born and raised in rural Alberta, Julie understands the unique crime prevention challenges these communities face. Through her presentations and outreach, she works to raise awareness of scams and crime targeting rural areas. A self-described “fraud nerd,” Julie also shares scam awareness tips on social media and has received many community and government awards for her efforts to protect Albertans. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner, has co-chaired ACCPA’s Fraud Prevention Month planning committee for many years, and hosts a weekly “Scam Alert” segment on CFCW radio every Thursday.
She joined the ACCPA board because she saw the great work the organization does in fraud prevention and wanted to play a role in that success. Julie co-chairs the Fraud Prevention Month committee for ACCPA each year.
The change I wish to see is stronger fraud and crime prevention awareness in every community, especially in rural Alberta. I would like to see more people equipped with practical tools, timely information, and local support so they can better recognize scams, protect themselves, and help keep their communities safe.
Frank is a police officer with the Red Deer RCMP, serving as a liaison to the courts and working with justice and community partners to manage high-risk offenders and support rehabilitation outcomes. His work focuses on bridging enforcement and treatment through collaborative, community-based approaches to public safety. Frank previously taught in the Justice Studies program at Red Deer Polytechnic, integrating applied research into his teaching. He holds a Master's degree in Political Science with a focus on quantitative methods and is currently completing a Doctor of Education (EdD). His research examines how program evaluation can strengthen engagement and effectiveness within complex public safety partnerships.
I joined ACCPA's Board of Directors because I've seen how working with communities can help prevent crime and better support individuals at risk. As a police officer, I connect frontline experience with what we're learning in practice to support practical, evidence-based decision-making.
My vision is a safer Alberta where citizens are equipped with the knowledge to recognize risks and take an active role in preventing crime.
Tyler Oka, a proud member of the Kainai First Nation, is the Gang Prevention Coordinator with Native Counselling Services of Alberta and Project Lead for Piikani Justice.
He began his career in 2009 with Kainai Corrections as a Correctional Officer and later worked with the Blood Tribe Police Service as civilian staff.
In 2019, he joined Kainai Community Corrections as a Federal Reintegration Worker, eventually becoming Senior Probation Officer and Manager. In that role, he oversaw programs in probation, Indigenous court work, reintegration, and human trafficking prevention.
Tyler also serves as Vice Chair of the Blood Tribe Police Commission and as a director with both the Canadian Association of Police Governance and the First Nations Police Governance Association.
With a Bachelor of Professional Arts in Justice Studies, his work is dedicated to breaking systemic barriers, addressing the overrepresentation of First Nations people in the justice system, and advocating for stronger crime prevention and policing resources in Indigenous communities.
Ekaterina Tsatsko has a background in neuroscience and clinical research, with particular interests in forensic psychology,neuroscience, and artificial intelligence (AI). She has held roles in addictions recovery, non-profit organizations, and board positions, serving vulnerable populations in Alberta for over two decades. Eakaterina is passionate about human rights and disability rights, focusing on how to protect these populations in both rural and urban settings. Having grown up in Alberta’s beautiful rural and urban communities, she has been a vocal advocate for Alberta’s vulnerable populations, striving to combine her expertise and advocacy to help foster inclusive, safe, and supportive communities throughout the province.
I joined the ACCPA board because I am committed to advancing crime prevention through collaboration, education, and early intervention. My background in neuroscience, psychology, mental health, addiction recovery, disability support, and research has shown me that safer communities are built not only through response, but through strong partnerships and systems that address risk before it escalates. ACCPA's focus on bringing agencies and communities together aligns closely with my values, and I joined the board to contribute to meaningful, evidence informed discussions that strengthen community safety across Alberta.
The change I hope to see is a greater emphasis on proactive, trauma informed, and community based approaches to crime prevention that address root causes and create lasting impact.
Jean has been on the ACCPA Board since 2015 and became Board President in 2016. She resigned as Board President in August 2024 to take on the role of Executive Director.
Jean has always been very involved in her community, regardless of where she and her family have lived. She feels her rural roots and involvement with many crime prevention and advisory groups have been an asset to the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association. The many representatives on the board have also been beneficial in understanding the different issues and concerns experienced by communities throughout the province.
Prior to becoming Board Chair, Jean enjoyed a 33-year career in the banking industry, retiring in 2005. Following her retirement, she began her first university class in the fall of 2006. What began as a history major took a detour into the social sciences, setting her on a life-changing path. In 2012, she proudly walked across the University of Calgary stage at convocation, accepting a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology/Psychology.
Due to her community involvement, Jean was successfully elected to municipal politics in 2013 and re-elected in 2017. She was defeated in 2021 by only two votes. Regardless, her desire to assist and empower communities throughout the province continues.
Jean loves the challenge of working with people and assisting with solutions.
Ensuring rural communities are not left out, Jean has promoted and advocated for rural communities, helping ensure they receive the resources and supports they require through education and awareness. In 2020, she and her executive planned a visioning session that slightly modified the narrative for Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association to embrace Community Safety and Wellbeing, as well as Crime Prevention.
From this visioning session came four objectives, including the implementation of Community Safety Plan Frameworks in communities and a revised membership model. In conjunction with the membership model, ACCPA intends to interview and prepare live broadcasts on various social issues each month. These broadcasts would be viewed by ACCPA members and others for awareness and education in their communities.
Jean believes everything begins in the community. Empowered and educated communities ensure a deeper understanding of community issues through connection. Empowered communities also have an advantage when dealing with, or averting, situations that may lead many people in their communities toward a life of crime.
Becky has been an ACCPA Board member since 2019 and has been a long-time supporter of ACCPA, including as a presenter at ACCPA’s 2006 Conference. In June 2025, she was hired as ACCPA’s Community Safety Specialist, where she works closely with Executive Director Jean Bota to implement ACCPA’s Strategic Plan.
Becky has a Diploma in Police Science from Mount Royal College, a BA in Criminology from Simon Fraser University, and an MA in Criminology from the University of South Florida, Tampa. She retired from her career as a police officer with the RCMP after 22 years of service, then went on to work at the John Howard Society in Red Deer with federal offenders. She also spent time working in the oilfield as a dispatcher, health and safety consultant, and line locator.
In 2014, Becky started teaching sociology courses part-time at Red Deer Polytechnic. She was the subject matter expert on the team that developed the Justice Studies Program and was eventually hired as Head of the Program, where she taught for six years.
Becky has been active in crime prevention for over 30 years and has attended numerous crime prevention conferences across Canada during that time. She completed a professional designation as an International Crime Prevention Specialist, known as ICPS, and was awarded an RCMP District Commander Certificate of Appreciation for a crime prevention program she designed called S.A.F.E. Schools-Safe Communities.
Becky and her AHS partner, Jillian Risto, won an award from the Alberta Centre for Injury Control for developing the Helmet Option Program, known as HOP. HOP, a crime prevention program, rewarded youth for wearing their helmets when the new provincial mandatory bicycle helmet laws came into effect.
Dianne was hired by ACCPA in November 2016 as the Association Administrator.
She retired from public service in 2011 after a 30-year career, including 21 years in municipal government and 9 years in provincial government. She is currently the President of Haley-Comben Services Inc.
Dianne has also volunteered for close to 30 years with the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association, serving on its Board of Directors in several capacities and participating in many of its committees.
She brings strong experience in assocxiation administration, conference planning, event coordination, and building systems to support conference registration.
Krystelle Knight worked as a small business office administrator for almost seven years. When the pandemic began, she decided to change careers and attended the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton to earn her Bookkeeping Certificate. She is very excited to have opened her home-based bookkeeping business. Krystelle has been active for many years in the Sylvan Lake area, volunteering her administrative and bookkeeping skills through her local church and community music festivals. She has now run her small bookkeeping business for several years and enjoys helping local small businesses and non-profits meet their goals.
I became involved with ACCPA through my work as a Bookkeeper, and over the past two years, I've come to deeply value the organization's commitment to strengthening community safety across Alberta. Supporting ACCPA has allowed me to contribute, in my own way, to take initiatives that prioritize prevention, collaboration, and the well-being of communities.
The change I hope to see is a continued shift toward proactive, community-led safety solutions—where individuals feel supported, heard, and safe in their everyday lives. I'm proud to play a role behind the scenes in advancing that important work.
Have questions or want to get involved? Get in touch with us to learn more about our programs, partnerships, and community initiatives. We’re always happy to connect.
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