The local Somali community is taking steps to fight crime in Edmonton. Members unveiled a series of posters with powerful images Tuesday aimed at encouraging those with information about unsolved murders to talk to police.
One poster reads: "Don't snitch leads to this," showing a grieving mother visiting her son's grave.
"A very provocative, powerful and courageous poster," said Ahmed Hussen with the Canadian Somali Congress.
About 15 posters will be going up along 118th Ave. And a help line called Rojo, which means hope, has already been set-up. Plans are in place to build a youth drop-in centre as well.
"It's a question of not just asking people to do the right thing, but informing them that when you do the right thing there are options to make sure that you are safe," said Hussen.
Hussen says they are hoping to target young men, with the goal of trying to solve any one of the 11 unsolved homicides involving Somali victims.
Supt. Brad Wall with the Edmonton Police Service has been working with community members and thinks the campaign could open communication.
"From a community that perhaps doesn't understand how they can assist the police or how the police can assist the community, communication is really quite critical," said Wall.
Members say youth are already taking part by helping to design the posters.
"The word snitch, I didn't know it, and they are the ones that came up with it," said Mahamad Accord with the Alberta Somali Community Centre.
And while community members realize this is just a first step, they believe it will lead to results.
"We believe there is enough intelligence in the community regarding some of these cases, and we hope people come forward," said Hussan.
The community's initiative is volunteer-based, but members say they would like to expand the program and would need to raise about $200,000 in order to make that happen.
A program called Bamboo Shield is also being introduced in a handful of junior high schools. Members are hopeful they can spread the message to kids to stay in school so they can avoid a high-risk lifestyle.
With files from Sonia Sunger
