PROVINCE TO PROVIDE MORE MONEY TO FIGHT CRIME

It's been one year since the province created a new initiative to
reduce crime in communities throughout the province. Now more funding
is on the way to continue the fight against crime through the
Alberta's Safe Communities initiative.

A total of $60 million will be put into the Safe Communities
Innovation fund to be used for innovative projects that prevent or
reduce crime at a grass-roots level.

Although details have yet to be released as to how community agencies
can apply for the funding, community-based initiatives will receive
$30 million and community-police partnership projects will also
receive $30 million during the next three years.

The City of Lethbridge has already seen a few spin-offs during the
first year of the initiative.

Early last month, the Safer Communities and Neighbourhood (SCAN) Act
was adopted. It creates a new sheriff's unit to investigate public
complaints about properties used for illegal activities associated
with gangs, drugs and prostitution. If necessary, those properties can
be closed for up to 90 days through a community safety order from the
Court of Queen's Bench.

Lethbridge regional police already have a couple homes that come to
mind in the city's south and north side that, with the new
legislation, could be shut down once and for all, allowing officers to
tend to other matters.

The city is also slated to receive three new police officers by next
spring and will see additional probation officers as well. In
addition, repeat offenders will be targeted and intensely supervised
in an effort to prevent them from entering the justice system over and
over again.

"The benefits you won't see overnight. The strategy is a long-term
strategy," said Andy Weiler, spokesperson for the Solicitor General
and Public Security. "When we are talking about adding resources to
the community, whether it's police or probation, it takes time to hire
and train to put those resources on the street."

The first year of the initiative was geared toward enforcement, which
meant adding new police and probation officers and hiring more
prosecutors.

The next step, according to the province, is to examine the root
causes of criminal activity which includes addressing families in
crisis, mental health services, immigrant support programs and
addiction and recovery projects.

The Alberta's Safe Communities initiative is a three-pronged strategy
of enforcement, prevention and treatment in an effort to reduce crime
and make communities safer. The initiative was created after a
nine-member task force met with more than 1,700 Albertans in 14
communities to learn how crime is affecting cities and towns.