Province investing in rural crime prevention

Alberta’s NDP government is investing $10 million to help combat rural crime in the province.
The announcement was made by Alberta’s Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Kathleen Ganley and RCMP Deputy Commissioner Todd Shean March 9.
“All Albertans deserve to be safe in their homes and their communities,” said Ganley.
The new money is part of a seven-point action plan that will see 39 new RCMP officers, 40 civilian staff and an unspecified number of Crown Prosecutors hired.
The goal of the strategy is to put additional resources where they are most needed to combat rural crime.
“With help from our valued partners in the RCMP, we have developed a detailed plan to protect rural Albertans and their property.
While there’s no single, easy solution to fix rural crime, our strategy puts several important tools in the crime-fighting toolbox,” said Ganley, “More civilian staff means more frontline officers on the street, while more Crown prosecutors will mean more timely access to justice.”
In addition to the new personnel, the plan includes a focus on improved intelligence, sharing information with an emphasis on identifying and catching prolific offenders.
There will also be a shift of routine tasks from police to civilian workers.
This change will allow officers to spend more time actively patrolling and pursuing investigations in the community.