EDMONTON – Eighteen fugitives were taken off city streets in the past two months thanks to a specialized unit from the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team.
ALERT, an umbrella law-enforcement organization that tackles organized and serious crime, sent a number of officers on patrol alongside the Edmonton Police community action teams in downtown Edmonton.
The officers belonged to a special ALERT unit that tracks, investigates and arrests people wanted on outstanding warrants in the province.
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Between Oct. 5 and 9, seven people who were wanted on a total of 39 warrants were arrested. Between Nov. 2 and 5, the team arrested 11 people wanted on 37 warrants. Many of those arrested were wanted on multiple warrants, for offences such as assault, theft and drug trafficking.
The Edmonton Police community action team initiative is part of a wider strategy that aims to reduce violent crime over the next five years. ALERT partnered with the community action team for two operations that targeted downtown neighbourhoods.
The latest community action team operation in the McCauley neighbourhood wrapped up over the weekend. During that four-night deployment, Edmonton Police made 73 arrests, a number that includes the 18 arrests made by ALERT. Police also laid 40 charges, and issued 216 traffic-related tickets.
Through partnerships with social agencies, the community action team made 21 housing referrals to homeless in the neighbourhood. Six people were placed in housing immediately.
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