Brian Warman from the community of Alix was attacked in his own home. Two intruders entered, demanding cash and valuables while they beat him. Warman was severely injured and required surgery.
At Amisk (far east of Red Deer and south of Wainwright), the post office and bank were broken into two nights in a row. One of the town’s blocks contains two businesses and five residences. In less than a year, 14 acts of crime occurred on that block.
Recently at Mannville, nearly 300 people packed the hall to address their region’s escalating crime problem. One woman was surprised to learn that Alberta doesn’t have 24/7 rural policing. She said her Kitscoty home had been broken into, and that the thieves returned three days later. She no longer feels safe. “It’s a horrible feeling,” she said.
Mabel Hamilton at Innisfail says neighbours talk only about crime nowadays rather than local events and the weather. In the last year, her home was twice invaded. Two trucks were stolen. Two further attempts were fortunately stopped by the family’s dogs.
Since 2011, rural crime rates in parts of Alberta have jumped more than 250 per cent. Break-ins are up 94 per cent at Innisfail and 133 per cent at Bonnyville. Near Medicine Hat, Redcliff RCMP also report increased rural property crime. Twelve of Canada’s fifty most dangerous places for crime are now in Alberta.
Alberta communities are screaming for help and enhanced policing, yet government has not fully responded. Many MLAs say the top issue by far that constituents bring to them is crime.
The Ponoka News reports that to help residents get involved and know how to protect their communities and themselves, Rosebrier Crime Watch and an Alberta video producer teamed up with the Alberta Rural Crime Watch Association, Wetaskiwin and Bashaw RCMP, and the RCMP’s K-Division to produce a training and information video that will offer practical and effective advice.
Numerous property owners across Alberta are installing video surveillance systems, saying that effective surveillance can be established for $1,000-$2,000. Many believe that these systems deter criminals, but exactly how effective they might be is sometimes disputed.
Beyond these things, advocates say the solution must include more severe penalties for those convicted of property crime—no hand-slapping. Many also want mandatory minimum imprisonment for repeat offenders.
In Saskatchewan, concern over rural crime resulted in the province expanding the power of conservation and commercial vehicle enforcement officers to include arrest and detention of criminal suspects. The decision instantly added 138 enforcement officers to the province’s rural crime policing and prevention force. News reports indicate that these officers are enthusiastic about their added responsibilities.
The Saskatchewan government also invited technology companies to submit proposals that could better protect communities. It promised these companies full rights to commercialize their anti-crime solutions.
Since the provincial government has not yet fully acted on the rise of rural crime, Alberta’s UCP announced a Task Force on Rural Crime to engage communities and develop common-sense proposals and solutions. This past week, numerous Albertans seriously affected by crime made their way to the legislature. At that time, the government rejected a motion to have the assembly engage in a discussion and debate about solutions to the crime issue. The matter was set aside, but it’ll come up again. It’s a serious problem that we all know won’t go away by itself.
Each week, a small group of Official Opposition MLAs get together to talk through a specific policy issue. As part of the process, a short commentary is compiled and then edited. Editorial committee members include Drew Barnes, Cypress Medicine Hat; Scott Cyr, Bonnyville-Cold Lake; Grant Hunter, Cardston-Taber-Warner; Ron Orr, Lacombe-Ponoka; Mark Smith, Devon-Drayton Valley; Rick Strankman, Drumheller-Stettler; and Wes Taylor, Battle River Wainwright.
Editor’s note: The crime watch video story originally appeared in the Pipestone Flyer and was then featured in the Ponoka News.