News released last week that Alberta’s sheriffs have apprehended more than 300 wanted offenders over the past seven months is both encouraging and welcome.
According to the minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, the newly created Fugitive Apprehension Sheriffs Support Team has done an outstanding job so far in keeping communities safe and bringing offenders into custody.
Whether the unit’s success will continue in the weeks and months ahead remains to be seen, although there seems to be no reason why the progress shouldn’t continue.
Of the 300 plus arrests made by the unit to date, more than 260 have been Tier 1 fugitives deemed to be prolific, dangerous offenders. In many cases, the sheriffs have received the support of RCMP officers, including during high-risk arrests.
Mike Letourneau, superintendent of Alberta Sheriffs, rightly says the unit’s success reflects well on the sheriffs working across Alberta.
“We are proud to add fugitive apprehension to the list of our important tasks and are eager to support our policing partners in our shared mission to keep Albertans safe,” he said.
Trevor Daroux, assistant commissioner with Alberta RCMP, says the province’s sheriffs are playing an “important role in keeping Albertans safe, and expanding their roles to include Fugitive Apprehension Sheriffs Support Team will support ongoing crime reduction strategies throughout the province.”
With Alberta’s population continuing to grow by leaps and bounds, including in rural communities in this district, any and all efforts to ensure current and new residents are protected from prolific and sometimes dangerous offenders is in the best interest of the community-at-large.
As such, the province and its law enforcement partners should be congratulated on the success of this new fugitive apprehension support team and its important public service work.
At the same time, the Smith government should not take the success of the province’s sheriffs as an indication that Albertans support the creation of a provincial police service to replace the RCMP.
That can only be determined by a fair and transparent province-wide referendum.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
