The Alberta government said new surveillance teams led by the Alberta Sheriffs are now on the ground and working with local police to what it says will make rural communities safer, the Western Standard has learned. Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said the addition of these two new surveillance teams “will further support our law enforcement partners in stamping out criminal activity in Alberta’s rural areas.” “This is about supporting local investigations to address local crime in our smaller communities,” said Ellis in a Wednesday press release. “Together, both teams will form another key component of Alberta’s efforts to combat crime and ensure Albertans feel safe at home and in their communities, regardless of where they live.” The Alberta government said it spent $4.3 million for the Alberta Sheriffs to hire more officers. By spending this money, it said it supported the establishment of two plainclothes teams — one in northern Alberta and one in southern Alberta — to support police in carrying out surveillance on criminal targets in rural areas. The teams are fully staffed and operational, which means they are ready to fight crime in rural areas across Alberta. They will work to prevent crime, monitor agricultural theft, and collaborate with local law enforcement to share intelligence and resources to keep Albertans and their property safe and secure. The Alberta government pointed out the Alberta Sheriffs have an existing surveillance unit that is part of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams and focuses on serious and organized crime investigations. However, it said the new teams will fill a gap by helping rural RCMP detachments with local investigations. “Through their specialized knowledge, training, and experience, Alberta’s new surveillance teams are providing another important mechanism in the fight against crime in Alberta’s rural communities,” said Alberta Sheriffs Supt. Mike Letourneau. “Working in close collaboration with the RCMP and other policing agencies, their efforts will play a key role in gathering evidence and information that will help disrupt crime throughout the province.” Alberta RCMP Assistant Commissioner Trevor Daroux said it was “happy to hear about increased resources being allocated to assist our communities.” “Addressing rural crime is one of the top priorities of the Alberta RCMP, and our partners at the Alberta Sheriffs already play a vital role in keeping Albertans safe,” said Daroux. “The creation of these new surveillance teams will help augment our ongoing crime reduction strategies in Alberta communities, and we look forward to working with them going forward.” These teams are part of a collection of measures to expand the role of the Alberta Sheriffs and make communities safer. Other actions include the expansion of the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods unit and the development of the Rural Alberta Provincial Integrated Defence Response with funding for the Sheriff Highway Patrol to train and equip officers to assist the RCMP with emergencies and high-priority calls. The Alberta government said in 2023 it would spend $27.3 million on the Alberta Sheriffs. READ MORE: UCP spending $27.3 million to fight rural crimeOf this amount, $10.2 million will go toward adding new positions in several areas, including courthouse security, prisoner transport, and traffic enforcement on provincial highways.An additional $4.3 million will create new rural crime initiatives for the Alberta Sheriffs, including two plainclothes teams that will assist RCMP detachments throughout Alberta with surveillance on criminal targets.
