INNISFAIL — In the aftermath of two related cases of deliberately set fires in town, local RCMP say they are now seeing a growing number of post-pandemic complaints associated with young people.
“We are seeing the after effects of the pandemic. There seems to be a lot of complaints. We’re starting to get busier; even our neighbouring detachments are starting to get busier,” said Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk, who was “pleased” with his detachment’s successful investigation into last week’s fires. “We are seeing a lot of people out and about, and a lot of complaints to deal with of this nature.
“Thankfully we haven’t escalated to the fact of having anybody hurt or anything but throughout Central Alberta we are seeing an increase in complaints associated to young people.”
Matechuk’s comments were made after RCMP announced on June 22 that arson and break and enter charges were jointly laid against two youths, aged 15 and 16, in connection to separate but related early morning fires on June 20th at the Innisfail Skatepark and Innisfail Middle School.
RCMP Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said police were able to determine the Innisfail Schools Campus, which includes Innisfail Middle School, had been broken into with a large jug of hand sanitizer stolen and used to start fires in a garbage can outside of the school, and a porta pottie at the skatepark.
Kurt Sacher, the superintendent of schools for the Chinook’s Edge School Division, said he does not consider the incident as a “targeted” attack on the school.
“I have not received a strong reaction. I think we're always concerned when there's vandalism, particularly of that nature,” said Sacher. “I mean in this particular circumstance, to my knowledge, that particular garbage can was out in the field 50 to 100 metres away. It occurred at 3:30 in the morning and it occurred in connection with some skateboard park vandalism.
“We do unfortunately get the odd time where some user in the evening (is) raising mischief. We didn't perceive it as a targeted threat to us.”
Sacher also said his school division is not seeing an increase in anti-social behavior from young people, nor any new worrisome patterns or trends.
“We've always unfortunately had to deal with the odd bit of vandalism,” he said. “There's an ebb and flow and we monitor that, and if there was a significant rise in a particular area or across the division we work more closely with the police. We have not noticed that across our communities to this point.”
Sacher added his school division has an excellent relationship with local RCMP and the Innisfail Fire Department, adding the Innisfail Schools Campus also has Innisfail RCMP Const. Craig Nelson serving as the community schools resource officer.
“We have a really good connection with them,” said Sacher, adding local school division schools had a full Innisfail Fire Department inspection before the fire incident to ensure all safety standards were in place.
“If there was ever a need to make some changes in protocol or whatever they would advise us and we would adhere to those. We feel confident that we have multiple ways to ensure that we're safe.”
Both accused youths, who can not be identified under Youth Criminal Justice Act, are jointly charged with two counts of arson and one count of break and enter. They have been released from custody on conditions and are scheduled to appear at Red Deer provincial court on July 28.
Innisfail fire chief Gary Leith said at about 4 a.m. on June 20 the Innisfail Fire Department responded to calls that two porta potties were on fire at the Innisfail Skatepark, as well as a garbage can outside the Innisfail Middle School.
Leith said two fire department units were sent out to deal with both fires, and both were quickly extinguished. The porta potties were destroyed and the garbage can sustained heat damage. By June 22, a new porta pottie was installed at the skatepark.
