Rural Crime fighting gets boost from Alberta budget

By Sharon McLeay Times Contributor

The Alberta government has listened to Albertans and dedicated funding for Rural Crime fighting by financially backing initiatives for boots-on-the-ground RCMP response and Justice system staffing.
The announcement was made during the March 2018 budget.
“Together with the RCMP, we launched a new rural crime strategy,” said Alberta Finance Minister Frank Cicci. “This strategy put more boots on the ground in rural areas, by expanding the RCMP’s Rural Crime Reduction Units, which focus on putting thieves behind bars. We are adding new supports to keep more police in their communities rather than sitting behind their desks. We are hiring more Crown prosecutors focused on rural crime, hiring additional intelligence coordinators to track offenders, utilizing GPS technology to catch thieves in the act and supporting citizen-led crime watch and patrol groups. That work will be bolstered by the new police officers funded by this budget.”
Wheatland County has seen escalating property crimes. Residents were asking for more RCMP presence in their communities. To accomplish this, the RCMP conducted a survey to pinpoint areas of concern to the public. They also conducted a campaign directed at municipalities, to introduce cost sharing for enhanced policing positions and watch clerks.
There is a shortage of trained officers to fill vacant RCMP positions and in 2017, there were calls for pay increases and changes to training and stationing protocols to increase recruitment efforts. RCMP officers are often paid ten per cent less than other police force members in Canada.
“Rural Crime is an escalating topic in Alberta, and is now gathering eyes federally … since we have seen our economy going through adjustments,” said Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties President Kemmere. “I am not sure what the solutions are … whether it’s at a policing level or a justice level. It seems to be a very narrow door to get them into the system but a wide open door to let them out again.”
The announcement included the new hire of 50 Crown Prosecutors and 30 support staff for the justice system. The move is to target court backlogs that previous hiring freezes created.
“The steps we plan to take are vital for access to justice and our justice system as a whole,” said Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley.
The downturn in Alberta’s economy and increased opioid use are two reasons some people turn to property crime. The government also introduced funding in the 2018 budget to enhance treatment programs that address opioid abuse.
The RCMP would like to see more active rural crime watch programs and are encouraging communities to work with them to enhance their investigation efforts on criminal activity. With the enhancements in this year’s budget, it will be interesting to see the impacts in the coming year.
“All Albertans should feel secure at home, from our biggest cities to our smallest towns, and we will keep supporting our police,” said Cicci.