Calgarians and Edmontonians will be delighted at the news that Premier Danielle Smith has offered provincial aid to the cities to clean up transit stations and hire 100 new police officers over the next year and a half. However, more people in uniform addresses just one aspect of this multifaceted problem our cities are facing. .We still have a drug crisis in this province — and it’s not getting any better. While our city police are hard at work busting local drug rings, they are faced with trying to stem an overwhelming tide of illegal drug trafficking which — if you’re a municipal police force, is all but impossible to do. Drugs are being manufactured in other provinces and other countries and sold on our streets to do their worst to some of our most vulnerable citizens. What is our federal government doing at the border and via our national police force to stop this? Whatever it is, it is clearly not enough..Today in Calgary, our transit stations have become unmonitored havens for drug use and crime. And while no one wants to turn those with mental health and addictions issues out into the cold, it stands to reason that a transit station is not the best place for those struck down by addiction to find shelter, either. It should be obvious to Albertans that we need more shelters and treatment centres..It should also be obvious that we need more jails. Violent, repeat offenders are being released onto the streets with shocking regularity, and our brave men and women in uniform are being forced to play cat-and-mouse with criminals who have been charged multiple times with multiple crimes..Given that the province’s prisons are currently packed, it seems optimistic to think that 100 new police officers on the beat in Alberta alone will scare criminals into smartening up their act. If they know they’re only going to be released after a temporary lockup — why not cause a public disturbance? Beat someone up? Or worse? We need more space to rehabilitate criminals and confine those who pose a risk to society.. Calgary-Meth-C-TrainA man smokes meth on Calgary’s C-Train. (Photo credit: Western Standard) .There are those who would prefer that justice not be sought of course, and argue that jail time is simply an unfair means of societal revenge. I would remind any who hold such naive conceptions that removing a wronged individual’s need to take revenge on the person who injured them is part of the reason we started putting people in jail in the first place..The satisfaction derived from watching someone who did something wrong go to jail mitigates the need for the wronged party to exact revenge by some other, potentially violent means. When criminals stop going to jail, people start finding other ways to get even. Just look at medieval England. Or the mafia. Humans are experts at payback. But historically, the result is a never-ending cycle of crime and disorder. Putting violent criminals in jail is a civil society’s only recourse..Don’t get me wrong. The premier’s announcement is a very good start. But this is going to take a lot more than 100 new cops to sort out. Fundamentally, it starts with all levels of government working together to counter an unprecedented crisis. Hopefully, it ends with Albertans once again enjoying the freedom to roam their cities without fear..Danny Randell is an author and editor based in Calgary, Alberta.
