Alberta Sheriffs and Calgary police execute over 1,500 arrests: province
Posted Apr 27, 2023 1:50 pm.
The Alberta government says its 12-week pilot of sheriffs in the city is “making a difference” and provided an update Thursday.
The project, which began on Feb. 28, includes two teams of Calgary Police Service (CPS) officers partnering with the Alberta Sheriffs in a project meant to deter crime in downtown Calgary.
Calgary police received 12 sheriffs for the downtown core as part of a 12-week pilot program for the province’s Calgary Public Safety and Community Response Task Force.
Read More: Calgary downtown receives support from Alberta Sheriffs
Around 1,600 calls have been responded to since that time, with 1,200 of them being “proactively initiated” by police in previously identified “hot spots.”
In the meantime, 109 charges have been laid, and 1,524 outstanding arrest warrants were executed.
“While many offenders incurred multiple charges and possessed multiple warrants, the totals still represent a significant number of criminals apprehended by officers — and, in many cases, taken into custody,” a news release from the province reads.
Read More: Calgary police respond to more than 1,600 calls for transit enforcement
The province says the two teams also took people to local shelters or social agencies, noting 23 people were transported in March.
In addition, officers connected people involved in 31 cases with social services organizations that offered “access to further supports.”
“The Alberta Sheriffs who have joined our beat teams have been a welcome addition to our organization and the downtown community. We have heard many reports of officers being thanked by citizens for their presence and ongoing work to establish safe public spaces within our core,” said Calgary Police Chief Mark Neufeld.
The work is expected to end on May 31, which will then be evaluated by CPS and the sheriffs to decide on the “next steps.”
