MORE MOUNTIES NEEDED, FORSYTH SAYS

Organized Crime Has Been Growing In Little-Policed Rural Areas

CALGARY - Alberta needs more Mounties to keep up with the growth of
organized crime and drugs in rural areas, says the province's solicitor
general.

The number of RCMP officers patrolling rural Alberta has barely budged in
recent years, while smaller communities are becoming home to sophisticated
criminal groups seeking to escape the scrutiny of big-city police forces.

"Policing has changed dramatically over the past 31/2 years," Solicitor
General Heather Forsyth said Thursday. "When I took over, people in places
like Camrose were talking to me about issues like vandalized farm equipment
-- now we're talking about organized crime, meth and marijuana grow-ops."

Statistics Canada released new numbers this week showing the nation's crime
rate has climbed substantially for the first time in a decade, partially
due to an increase in organized crime rackets such as counterfeiting.

Alberta municipalities shared in a $58-million increase to police funding
in the last provincial budget, and the province must now look at bolstering
the RCMP's presence in rural Alberta, Forsyth said.

RCMP officials are diplomatic about the need for more resources. "No matter
what type of business or industry you're in, you always have a desire for
more," said spokesman Cpl. Wayne Oakes.