$60M ANTI-CRIME PROGRAM UNVEILED

Stelmach Lauds 'Layer By Layer' Approach

EDMONTON - The Alberta government will spend $60 million over the next
three years on community-based crime reduction programs, Premier Ed
Stelmach announced Thursday.

The money will be split evenly between community policing projects and
community programs designed to reduce crime. The criteria for
selecting those programs will be released in the coming weeks.

"The best crime-prevention work is done in our homes, our schools and
our communities," Stelmach said. "No other province is addressing
crime on such a large scale and with the intensity of Alberta."

The announcement is the latest in a series of anti-crime initiatives.
Late last month, the government pledged to put $42.4 million in
federal funding into new teams to fight organized crime.

The government also plans to launch a $10-million pilot project to go
after 60 of the province's worst repeat criminals.

Stelmach said it's all part of the country's most comprehensive
anti-crime program.

"It's tackling crime, layer by layer."

Brad Odsen, executive director of the John Howard Society of Alberta,
said he wants to see how the money is given out, but applauded the
move, since it targets the root causes of crime.

"I think this is a good thing. It's moving money in the right
direction -- let's see where it goes from here."

The society, in part, provides programs for offenders and their
families and ex-offenders. Odsen said funds directed at steering
people away from a criminal lifestyle yield better returns over time
than money spent later on enforcement and incarceration. But he also
said the money, which is only guaranteed for three years, may not be
enough to fund ongoing programs.

Depending on the criteria, Odsen said some of the local branches of
his organization may be interested in applying.

Tyler Peterson, a volunteer with the Southeast Central Community
Patrol, was also enthusiastic. His group works with Edmonton police to
patrol neighbourhoods in civilian cars. They look for suspicious
activity and report it to police. "We're not doing anything an
ordinary person couldn't do, we're just a little more organized when
we go out," Peterson said. They are currently funded by corporate and
community grants, but Peterson said more money could, for example,
help pay for new radios.

Mayor Stephen Mandel was also pleased with the announcement, saying
one area in which people have asked for action is more security on the
LRT. But he cautioned the province against spreading its dollars too
thinly.

"Rather than expand into a bunch of new things, let's make sure what
we're doing now, we're doing it well." The money will be divided
equally between Edmonton, Calgary and the rest of Alberta. Any police
department, community or private organization can apply.

More information is available at: www.justice.gov.ab.ca/safe/scif.aspx