Pubdate: Wed, 02 Oct 2002
Source: Lethbridge Herald (CN AB)
Section: Front Page
Copyright: 2002 The Lethbridge Herald
Contact:  http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/239
Author: Gerald Gauthier

WANTED - MORE OFFICERS

It may not look any different from the outside, but the Lethbridge police 
department is taking on a whole new look on the inside.

In his first month on the job, police Chief John Middleton-Hope has 
initiated a major restructuring which he says will help the service make 
the most of its resources and address staffing shortages in key areas such 
as street patrols and drug investigations.

Key to the plan is funding for six more police officers in 2003, which he 
will seek from city council next month in the new three-year police budget. 
Beefing up police presence in the downtown core with more foot patrol 
officers is a top priority.

"The two-person downtown beat we have is ineffective. Those six bodies will 
go right into the downtown beat," he says.

Visible patrols in police cars don't decrease crime, he adds.

"We need police out walking the streets where it's appropriate, interacting 
with the public."

An expanded eight-officer downtown unit would deal with problems such as 
public drunkenness and violence associated with the city's homeless 
population -- issues which have long been the bane of downtown business owners.

More attention would also be paid to monitoring activities around downtown 
bars and public spaces as well as ensuring the safety of seniors who live 
nearby and other area patrons.

Middleton-Hope is also seeking money for four more civilian communications 
staff to work in the department's dispatch centre, which handles 9-1-1 
calls for most of southern Alberta. Total

9-1-1 calls this year are projected to number about 30,000.

Other changes to the department's internal structure include consolidating 
the service's five street patrol teams into four, a move also driven by the 
fact the existing teams were chronically understaffed. In addition, he says 
the three-person drug investigation unit is badly understaffed and requires 
at least a doubling of its existing resources.

"We don't have a sufficiently resourced drug unit," he says.

Traffic enforcement has also suffered because traffic officers are 
routinely called to pitch in by responding to domestic disputes and other 
complaints.

That will end, he says, and traffic cops will focus on their primary 
responsibility -- traffic education, investigation and enforcement.

"Our investigators are at capacity currently, and the reason for that is 
that they're wearing two or three hats," he says.

A new executive officer's position will be created to handle media 
relations and other responsibilities for the service. Also slated is 
creation of a human resources development unit to "develop a preferred 
workplace," he says, to enhance the service's ability to retain staff and 
its competitiveness in recruiting new officers.

The new internal structure is expected to be in place some time this month.

Middleton-Hope emphasizes what he's seeking in the new budget are the 
department's minimum requirements.

"Immediately could we use eight or 10 people? Absolutely," he says. "The 
budget we are presenting is not a wish list.

"We're trying to be as fiscally responsible as is practicable," he adds. 
"The reality is this area has been under-resourced."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth