Alberta government, peace officers team up to tackle fentanyl crisis

The Alberta government on Wednesday announced a plan to coordinate with police and peace officers to deal with “social disorder and the fentanyl crisis.”

Alberta Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis and Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver held a press conference alongside representatives from Edmonton Police Service and Alberta municipalities.

Officials outlined a “coordinated effort” between police officers, the RCMP, peace officers and the cities of Edmonton and Calgary, as well as municipalities across the province, that would broaden peace officer authorities that they didn’t have before to crack down on fentanyl trafficking.

The issue isn’t just about the fentanyl, though that’s a huge chunk of the problem — the officials who spoke at the press conference emphasized they want to “tackle social disorder arising from the fentanyl crisis.”

It was announced Wednesday that is response to these issues, more than 800 community peace officers from 34 large- and mid-sized Albertan municipalities “will immediately begin coordinating operations with local police to more effectively combat social disorder stemming from the use of illicit drugs, including deadly fentanyl,” said the government in a press release.

“We know a law enforcement presence will make a difference,” said Ellis.

“Fentanyl continues to endanger the lives of Albertans and is devastating to families and communities.”

“By aligning the efforts of community peace officers and local police, we are ensuring a coordinated, team response to combat the illicit drug trade to improve public safety. When community peace officers and local police work together in integrated street patrols, we create a visible and unified front against crime.”

McIver added “it takes a team effort to tackle the fentanyl crisis.”

“Every level of government has a role to play. Working together with our municipal partners will ensure we can address this crisis, improve public safety for Albertans and combat fentanyl, which has destroyed families and livelihoods.”

The provincial government says “an increase in law enforcement boots on the ground on Alberta streets will create the operational consistency needed to more effectively combat illicit drugs, crime and social disorder.”

“Closer operational alignment between police and community peace officers is a key part of the Alberta government’s approach to confronting urgent public safety issues with strong, cohesive law enforcement across all Alberta municipalities,” said the press release.

Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi on Wednesday referred to US President Donald Trump’s imminent 25% tariff threat and emphasized how today’s announcement was a move toward “defending Canada’s economic interests.

"Tackling the fentanyl crisis is critical for supporting healthy communities,” added Sohi.

When asked how the coordination announcement would impact communities directly, Ellis replied, “officer presence matters.”

“This is not about arresting people. It's about officer presence, it's about making sure that people within that community feel safe,” he told the Western Standard.

He said the goal was to make “people feel more safe on transit” and “just walking down the streets of Edmonton.”

“Those who are wishing to do Edmontonians harm, or Calgarians harm, or, quite frankly, anybody within any community, any harm, they're going to be put on notice that peace officers are going to be working very effective in a coordinated effort with law enforcement within the province of Alberta, and we are not going to tolerate, certainly any violence towards anybody who wants to cause problems with citizens,” said Ellis.

As for the federal Liberals’ controversial catch-and-release legislation, Ellis told the Western Standard Alberta-based police would “do their job” while ministers put pressure on crown prosecutors and federal MPs to retract Bill C-75.

“So to all police officers that are listening right now, don't get discouraged,” he said.

“Myself, all public safety ministers right across Canada understand this. I have also raised this with Minister David McGuinty [Minister of Public Safety].”

“We don't have any control over, or not, whether or not the judge chooses to let somebody out or keep somebody in custody.”