Pubdate: Tue, 06 Nov 2007
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2007 Calgary Herald
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Authors: Tony Seskus, Gwendolyn Richards, Jason Fekete, Calgary Herald

ALBERTA BOLSTERS FIGHT AGAINST CRIME

Proposal Takes Aim At 'Rampant' Substance Abuse

Concerned with violent crime and rampant drug and alcohol abuse, the 
Alberta government will unveil today a new crime strategy that will 
bolster police officer ranks while also targeting the roots of 
substance abuse. Though government officials were tight-lipped 
Monday, a source said the strategy will include more police officers. 
The plan will also look at how Alberta's police forces can co-operate 
better to tackle rising threats such as organized crime and youth crime.

But the announcement won't only focus on law enforcement. It will 
look at tackling crime on three fronts, including enforcement, 
prevention and treatment. It will also target the social issues 
surrounding crime, like drug and alcohol abuse.

The plan may include more spaces at treatment facilities for people 
with substance abuse issues.

The government strategy -- to be announced by Premier Ed Stelmach in 
Edmonton -- comes in response to the Safe Communities task force 
report, which will be released at the same time. The task force has 
made more than 30 recommendations aimed at reducing crime and making 
communities safer.

Calgary-Fish Creek MLA Heather Forsyth said there isn't an area of 
the province that isn't touched by crime and that all Albertans have 
a role to play in addressing the issue.

Forsyth, who led the task force, said she's concerned by how 
"rampant" drug and alcohol abuse is in all corners of the province. 
She said what's happening on First Nations reserves is "devastating."

"People have to start opening their eyes in this province to the 
crime that's happening around them," she added.

"I think (the strategy) will make a huge difference in the province 
once the recommendations are implemented," said Forsyth, who led the 
task force.

The mother of a man murdered almost four years ago welcomes the 
prospect of bringing more police officers onto the streets, saying 
it's key to combatting crime.

But, Sherry Morrison added, a bigger concern is the revolving door of 
the justice system.

"We need more police," she said. "But the fact is we also need to 
have the judges apply the laws we have more vigorously."

The government strategy -- to be announced by Premier Ed Stelmach in 
Edmonton -- comes in response to the Safe Communities task force 
report, which will be released at the same time. The task force has 
made more than 30 recommendations aimed at reducing crime and making 
communities safer.

The nine-member panel was launched in March with the aim of 
determining the root causes of crime.

In touring 14 communities across the province, the group was asked to 
seek input from Albertans on ways to reduce crime, enhance community 
safety and improve public confidence in the criminal justice system. 
It looked for successful, anti-crime strategies at the community level.

Liberal MLA Harry Chase, who made two presentations to the task 
force, said he'll be watching carefully to see what recommendations 
aren't adopted by the province. He noted that the government has 
rejected recommendations of previous task force groups, including one 
last spring to implement rent controls.

"That's my concern because I'm afraid that the emphasis that should 
be on, first, prevention and then on rehabilitation may be skipped in 
favour of just a 'hit-them-hard' kind of thing," said Chase, MLA for 
Calgary-Varsity.

Justice Minister and Deputy Premier Ron Stevens said the government's 
response to the task force report will be positive and "pro-active."

While law enforcement will play a key role, Solicitor General Fred 
Lindsay said his emphasis is on strengthening the provincewide 
information network, as well as multi-city teams such as the 
Integrated Response to Organized Crime and the Integrated Child 
Exploitation Unit.

"As time goes on, we just have to do more and more of those types of 
initiatives because it's not just a matter of putting police on the 
street, it's working together more effectively and efficiently," 
Lindsay said. "And certainly more police officers will be a part of 
that, but the biggest part is being smarter in what we're doing."

A senior government source said that while Stelmach's action plan 
will pledge more officers, the government is still working through 
its 2008 budget plan to confirm how many.

Morrison, whose son Jeffrey Shuckburgh was fatally shot on Jan. 7, 
2004, outside his bar after evicting a man for bringing a sawed-off 
rifle, said the revolving door of the justice system is a major issue.

"More structure in sentencing is really key to this, rather than a 
slap on the wrist," Morrison said, adding she's not necessarily 
calling for tougher laws. "We need to apply the laws we have in a 
better and fairer way."

Medicine Hat Police Chief Gord Earl is anxious to see what the task 
force comes up with, but said he is less interested in the results as 
he is in seeing the province follow through on the recommendations.

"I don't think after their time and study they're shocked by their 
findings," he said. "We need less task force, more action."

Tom McKenzie, chief of the Lethbridge Regional Police Service said 
they will be following strategies that recognize what the local 
citizens are concerned about.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom