DRUG EDUCATION OFFICER SLATED FOR HINTON DETACHMENT

HINTON PARKLANDETR -- An RCMP officer focused on drug education should
be arriving in Hinton in the new year.

Yellowhead County approved funding for two enhanced RCMP positions,
one in Hinton and one in Edson, who will focus on drug awareness, drug
prevention, D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and related
crime fighting activities.

"I think it's wonderful news, especially when it's related to drug
action issues," said Mayor Glenn Taylor. "I'm glad the county is
stepping up."

Jack Ramme, the county's chief administrative officer, said that the
county is aware that criminals go into towns to commit their deeds and
they need to step up with money for police funding.

He said that although the officers are dedicated rural they will
likely focus their educational efforts in town.

"We'd like to do a regional attack on this issue," Ramme
said.

These two new positions are called enhanced positions and are paid for
completely by the county. In addition, the county is able to outline a
mandate for officers. The money is included in the 2006 budget, so
that theoretically the officers could arrive in January, but more
realistically they will show up later in the year. The county already
has two other enhanced position officers and those officers look for
the overloading of trucks on county roads.

"It can do extensive road damage," Ramme said. "These guys (offenders)
can face horrific fines and pay for the roads they damaged."

At the same county meeting, county council agreed to amend the current
RCMP agreement to allow the two current enhanced position RCMP
officers to be assigned to general policing duties in addition to
their weights and measures duties. County Reeve Andy Stanton said the
drug and crystal meth problem is everybody's concern.

He said that meetings with the staff sergeants in Edson and Hinton
determined this would be good use of the new officers. "That would
free up other police to do more policing," he said.

The county police budgeting was also recognition of the inequitable
police funding in the province.

"We're recognizing that rural municipalities don't have to pay for
policing," he said.

These new hirings are in addition to two officers that Hinton has
budgeted and applied for. Those officers should also arrive sometime
in the new year.

Taylor said the extra officers will help, but it still doesn't address
the issue of equitable police funding throughout the province.

Municipalities in Alberta with populations under 5,000 have their
first six RCMP officers completely paid for by the province, but those
over 5,000 only have 27 cents of each dollar paid. In August, the
province increased funding for the Town of Hinton by $125,000 for the
fiscal year, which the town was expecting and had already accounted
for.

The money will cover the cost of hiring one new RCMP officer. Since
the town has put in an application for two new officers it will cover
the cost of the additional officer. The total policing grant from the
province is for $275,240 and the agreement is effective until March
31, 2006.

The current deal covers 27.5 cents for each dollar spent by the town
on policing, which is up from the 15 cents per dollar in the previous
agreement.

Hinton's mayor said he'd like to see the province pay for 50 cents of
every dollar spent on policing.

"Until the province steps up with an equitable funding arrangement,
we're doing all we can do," Taylor said.