Rising mental health and addiction issues compound the problem, and top police officials from Alberta offer solutions
Addictions and mental health issues are on the rise in rural and urban Alberta, say top police officials, making crime increasingly challenging to tackle. The increase has strained services, they say, even though solutions to stem addictions and mental health problems are working. “Meth is driving most of our violence and most of our crime […] Read moreTag Archives rural crime — page 2
Alberta tour focuses on rural crime concerns
The government says it will use feedback from the meetings as a way to inform it on how to best resolve the issue
The Alberta government is touring the province to hear concerns about rural crime and to learn how to best resolve the issues. Despite efforts to reduce rural crime over the past couple of years, issues of property theft and break-and-enters continue to alarm small communities. “We want to see crime rates go down,” Doug Schweitzer, […] Read more
Citizen’s arrest can be risky move for farmers
In 2009, David Chen became a hero to many Canadians. Chen, the owner of a small grocery mart in Toronto’s Chinatown, caught a criminal who had stolen plants from the store and locked him in the store’s truck. The police arrested Chen for his actions and the crown charged him with assault and forcible confinement. […] Read more
Alta. RCMP launch new rural crime initiative
Rural landowners affected by crime will now have access to more resources to help protect their property. The Alberta government and RCMP announced today they’re launching a initiative called Project Lock Up, an effort that combines the forces of RCMP and citizen-led groups to better respond to crime and to give victims access to prevention […] Read more
On the ground: Alta. RCMP tackle rural crime
The police force reports that the rural crime rate is down, but officers on the ground say more work needs to be done
ST. PAUL, Alta. — While driving along lonely prairie roads in eastern Alberta, RCMP officers Rob Eberly and Tony Knowles are on their way to check on problem properties and individuals in the community. Their mission isn’t necessarily one of doing a high-profile sting operation, but one of gathering information and reaching out to residents […] Read more
Rural crime rate drops in Alberta
Cases of rural property crime have decreased in Alberta since the province partnered with the RCMP to establish new units to tackle the issue. Following her speech to rural representatives at the Rural Municipalities of Alberta fall convention, Justice Minister and Solicitor General Kathleen Ganley said property crime across rural Alberta has dropped by 11 […] Read more
Rural residents want young offender changes
A parliamentary committee is also told that harsher sentences are needed to keep criminals behind bars longer
Rural residents affected by crime want stiffer penalties for young offenders, a federal committee studying the issue heard recently. Nick Cornea, a Briercrest, Sask., farmer who founded the Facebook page Farmers Against Rural Crime last February, said children as young as 11 are committing crimes without fear of a record or penalty. He represents about […] Read more
Sask. trespass survey finds support for mandatory permission
The survey results of Saskatchewan’s consultation on trespass laws show the majority want mandatory permission to enter rural property. However, the response numbers were low. Only 1,601 people participated in the consultation held between Aug. 9 and Oct. 2. Two-thirds of the responses, or 1,039, said anyone who wants to enter privately owned rural property […] Read more
Bison shooting in Alberta described as ‘senseless killing’
An Alberta bison producer is hoping people will be on the lookout after someone shot and killed one of his animals. Robert Hampton, who farms near Blueberry Mountain, Alta., found late last month that one of his pregnant bison had died from a gunshot wound. He discovered the animal lying down alone roughly nine metres […] Read more
Farmer urges more self-defence legislation
Eddie Maurice is still dealing with the fallout of using his gun to defend his rural property but he says he would do it again. The farmer from Okotoks, Alta., was arrested and charged last February after he fired warning shots to scare off two thieves. A ricochet bullet injured one of them, and resulted […] Read more
