Officials have announced funding for new surveillance teams within the Alberta Sheriffs. (Photo: Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko

Alberta adding surveillance teams to monitor rural crime

Jul 18, 2024 | 1:56 PM

The Government of Alberta has announced new funding that it believes will help to make rural communities safer.

It will spend $4.3 million to add two surveillance teams to the Alberta Sheriffs. One team will be based in southern Alberta and one in northern region.

Their goal will be to support police in carrying out surveillance on criminal targets in rural areas.

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis says both teams are now fully operational.

“Criminals and organized crime are not welcome in Alberta. Full stop. The addition of two new surveillance teams will further support our law enforcement partners in stamping out criminal activity in Alberta’s rural areas,’ says Ellis. “This is about supporting local investigations to address local crime in our smaller communities.”

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Alberta Sheriffs Superintendent Mike Letourneau adds that the new surveillance teams will provide another important mechanism in the fight against crime in rural areas.

“Working in close collaboration with the RCMP and other policing agencies, their efforts will play a key role in gathering evidence and information that will help disrupt crime throughout the province,” says Letourneau.

The creation of the surveillance teams is part of an effort from the province to expand the role of the Alberta Sheriffs. Others include the expansion of the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit, which added a team for Lethbridge in November 2023.