Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

By Tanner Smith

2024 RCMP stats

2024 Grande Prairie RCMP “plainclothes” unit stats

Jan 24, 2025 | 12:27 PM

Grande Prairie RCMP has summarized all the work done in 2024 by its four “plainclothes” units.

That consists of the General Investigation Section (GIS), which responds to the “most serious and complex investigations,” the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), specializing in “sexual and intimate partner violence,” the Crime Reduction Unit (CRU), focusing “enforcement efforts in crime hotspots,” and the RCMP Drug Section.

Grande Prairie RCMP, Staff Sergeant Billy Groenen, who oversees all four units said in a release; “Our plainclothes units work together to support our frontline police with the mutual goal to enhance public safety while reducing community harm.”

Throughout the year all four special units assisted on over 2,000 investigations.

The GIS unit assisted in 269 investigations, supporting over 129 judicial authorizations, “advancing Grande Prairie’s most serious and sensitive police cases,” according to Grande Prairie RCMP.

SIU progressed 1,176 investigations and “provided guidance and oversight” to 2,526 sexual and intimate partner violence-related investigations.

The Drug Section “reduced harm caused by illicit drug trade” by progressing over 176 investigations and seizing a list of items, which led to 69 criminal charges laid, and the arrest of 22 people:

• 2.9 kilograms of cocaine
• 792 grams of fentanyl
• 148 fentanyl pills
• 20 litres or 400 doses of Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate, also known as GHB
• 15,000 Isotonitazene pills
• 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine
• 3,344 counterfeit prescription pills
• $121,414 in currency as proceeds of crime
• Four handguns
• Two sawed-off shotguns
• One rifle
• 160,200 illegal cigarettes

In 2024 the CRU put a focus on offenders “who are known to cause the greatest amount of harm to the community,” and progressed files around mail theft, shoplifting and identity theft.

As a result, they assisted in over 646 investigations, resulting in 40 people charged for either drug, property or firearms-related offences and the recovery of 55 stolen vehicles.

They also seized several items:

• 16 crime guns
• 700 grams of cocaine
• 2.1 kilogram of methamphetamine
• $40,000 in currency as proceeds of crime

Residents in Grande Prairie are reminded to report any suspicious activity to Mounties, by contacting the Grande Prairie RCMP at 780-830-5700, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).