The city of Red Deer is receiving a boost to fight and dismantle organized crime.
Last September the city of Red Deer, located between Calgary and Edmonton, saw its largest fentanyl seizure in its history.
That’s why the province of Alberta is contributing $50 million toward a budget increase for Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams, or ALERT, which fights organized crime. A portion of the new money will go to funding three new investigators in Red Deer.
“One of the critical challenges that we face particularly with addictions and crime is the fact that were central to all of Alberta,” Red Deer Mayor Tara Veer explained.
“We’re going to have three new additional officers that will be established with the unit about a 20 per cent increase in the capacity that we have,” Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Doug Schweitzer said.
Chief Executive Officer of ALERT, Supt. Dwayne Lakusta, is confident the added support will make a difference.
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“We’re going to be relentless with our efforts to disrupt and dismantle organized crime in the city of Red Deer and surrounding areas,” Lakusta said.
Red Deer will also have a drug treatment court for those whose drug abuse leads to crime. It’s part of a promised $20 million expansion of the program.
“We’re so proud today to announce the establishment of a drug treatment court here in the city of red deer,” Schweitzer said.
The courts provide drug testing, supervised treatment and recovery for those facing addictions.
“It’s through integrating addiction treatment services with justice system case processing that we can create safer communities and reduce rural crime and I honestly believe that this is the answer,” Director or Provincial Drug Court Expansion and Development Grace Froese explained.
The mayor is calling it much needed support for a community desperate for help.
“We’re really hoping that by having drug treatment as an option for our local judiciary, that will help break that systemic cycle and that revolving door that our local members of the police have been contending with,” Veer said.
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