INNISFAIL – Business owners in West Gate Industrial Park have appealed to town council for support in their battle against increasing crime, a frightening and expensive problem that has employers worried about ongoing property offences and even their personal safety.
“Of course we are. The police have told us straight up that a lot of these criminals are now carrying weapons. Machetes (and) shotguns have been found in their vehicles when they have been arrested,” said Marc Seabrook, president of the newly formed West Gate Industrial Park Association.
Seabrook also told council on Nov. 28 that criminals have committed $500,000 worth of theft and property damage at the west side industrial park over a recent 90-day period. To combat the crime spree, the association hired Tri-West Security Alberta, a private Red Deer-based security company eight weeks ago, to patrol the park at night, seven days a week, at a cost of $8,500 a month.
“It is at least that amount ($500,000) as they've (criminals) have stolen semi trucks and trailers. They are driving vehicles through fences and doors,” said Seabrook, whose park has more than 1,000 employees working in more than one million square feet of industrial and commercial office and workspace. “Stealing? You name it. A lot of vehicles, a lot of tools have gone missing. We, the business owners, have to do something to stop this.
“The downturn in the economy causes a lot of it and the lack of policing,” added Seabrook, whose association has had discussions with the Innisfail RCMP. “I don't blame the RCMP. They are doing what they can. They are on a very limited funding.”
Seabrook said part of his association's intent on Nov. 27 was to make a new energetic effort to connect with the new council to finally have the crime problem addressed, and to have the current landscaping bylaw changed, as members feel it “doesn't make sense.”
“They (business owners) just want to see it used in a more logical way,” he said. “Most of the problem is that it's inconvenient to do landscaping in an industrial area. We don't want leaves, grass, branches and trees around. It is a fire hazard. It also blocks everything off for security reasons. The police are having a hard enough time to get into these yards to check for all these thieves and vandals.”
Council did not make any motions to address the security of landscaping issues but they did approve one for lighting.
Administration was directed to contact FortisAlberta and request more information about developing a street lighting map that will show LED replacement progress and areas where additional lighting is recommended.
“Council did not go into a large level of conversation regarding the delegation's concern regarding security,” said Todd Becker, the town's chief administrative officer. “However, what goes along with that is the initial step to look at the lighting deficiencies there and throughout the rest of the community as an initial start.”
However, the association has met with the Innisfail RCMP on the security issue. Detachment commander Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk said RCMP would step up efforts to provide more programs for park business owners on how best to protect themselves, including additional seminars on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
“No doubt police visibility is a big deterrent. If our members are strapped doing lengthy reports in the office they are not on the road driving around and the visibility isn't there. We can try to get more visibility to help them,” said Matechuk, adding it's common for business areas to hire private security firms. “It is another deterrent when they see a security car driving around. They have no powers of arrest. They can't intervene but they can observe and report sooner.”
On the political front, Coun. Glen Carritt, a member of the association who runs a business in the park, said pouring more money into additional RCMP resources is challenging as senior levels of government provide the bulk of police funding. However, he said the town might be able to help with some money for security as the town yards are in the same area.
Carritt added discussions are already underway to revisit the landscaping bylaw issue.
“Council has already made a point that it will be reinvestigated and see if there can be any changes made to that, or if it's an inadequate bylaw,” said Carritt.
In the meantime, Seabrook said there are plans to add new association signage placed around the park and create a local security company to watch over the park.
Marc Seabrook, president of the West Gate Industrial Park Association
"The police have told us straight up that a lot of these criminals are now carrying weapons. Machetes (and) shotguns have been found in their vehicles when they have been arrested. We, the business owners, have to do something to stop this."
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