Strathmore RCMP positive as 2023 concludes

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Staff Sgt. Mark Wielgosz of the Strathmore RCMP detachment is confident in the closing out of 2023 and is in high spirits for the start of the new year.

“2023 overall went very well for us. Of course, no year is without its challenges for sure, but I think with the goals that we set forward and the efforts of our members in meeting those goals, we have generally been pretty successful,” he said. “With the past year and into this next year, because we work on fiscal operating years rather than calendar years, our focus has been on property crime – that being theft of motor vehicles, theft from motor vehicles, and break and enters.”

He explained the local RCMP also prioritized road safety by reducing overall collisions and injury collisions, as well as maintaining a high level of community involvement and engagement, meant to foster positive relationships within the local communities.

Wielgosz said with the efforts of local members, the Strathmore RCMP has been meeting and exceeding their objectives and are seeing local crime reduction goals being met. 

He described the drop in local crime rates and the organization’s goals being met as a positive reflection of the hard work being done by RCMP members, as well as the engagement from community members.

“A couple of the highlights that come to mind are our annual Strathmore Stampede – of course, that is a multi-day event that our members are heavily engaged in, be it stampede breakfasts, the rodeos, and generally meeting and engaging with the public in the surrounding areas both on and off the stampede grounds,” he said. “Remembrance Day is another occasion that I am proud that our members have had a high level of engagement in, not only here in town at the Legion, but our smaller surrounding communities such as Carseland and Rockyford.”

Members will also tend to stop and say hello at occasions such as block parties to let the kids check out the squad cars, hand out stickers and temporary tattoos, and so on. 

One of the larger instances which saw media releases distributed was the recovery of over $800,000 of stolen or fraudulently acquired equipment between a number of businesses from Airdrie to Calgary; with members even attending locations in Red Deer to conduct recoveries. 

“Another major release that we put out recently was in regards to a drug trafficking investigation here in the Town of Strathmore where our members simultaneously executed two search warrants between two residences and that lead to a sizeable seizure of cash and drugs. That investigation is still underway and further charges may result.”