Officials announce Lethbridge's new drug treatment court and ALERT expansion. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge getting drug treatment court & four additional ALERT officers

Mar 2, 2020 | 12:15 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Members of the provincial government were in Lethbridge Monday for a pair of announcements that are said to impact drug-related crime.

The first is a drug treatment court.

Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer explains that, rather than simply sentencing somebody to time in jail, it allows offenders who suffer from substance addiction to take part in a 12-18 month rehabilitation program.

Depending on the exact situation a person is in, the exact supports that are prescribed will vary. Some of these can include intox or detox services, counseling, parenting classes, job skills training, and help with finding stable housing.

They will have to regularly report back to the courts to give updates on their progress. Those who are not progressing in their treatment could face repercussions like having a curfew or more strict conditions.

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Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jason Luan says the drug treatment court offers a “fair, firm, and compassionate approach” for those who are facing substance addiction that aims to find a balance between helping those in need and keeping offenders held accountable.

While Schweitzer acknowledged that Lethbridge does not have the level of support services it probably should have right now, he says the province will continue to work with the city and care providers to grow that over time.

Currently, there are two drug treatment courts in Alberta – one in Calgary and one in Edmonton.

Grace Froese is the manager of the Edmonton Drug Treatment Court.

Among those who graduate from their program, Froese claims that approximately 70 per cent do not re-offend, resulting in a 81.9 per cent reduction in recidivism. For this reason, she says the program has proven successful enough to expand outside of the province’s two largest cities.

Schweitzer told media that more communities in the province will likely be getting drug treatment courts in the future.

The other aspect of Monday’s announcement is the expansion of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT), as another four ALERT officers will serve Lethbridge and the surrounding area.

According to ALERT CEO Dwayne Lakusta, they will comprise of members of Lethbridge Police Service, Taber Police Service, Blood Tribe Police Service, and RCMP.

He says one of ALERT’s biggest strengths is their ability to work collaboratively with each other and other law enforcement branches to target organized crime.

Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman was thrilled to learn about these initiatives, saying that addiction and drug-related crime have been the city’s biggest issues for several years now. He said it was great to learn that Lethbridge will finally have more than one of the four pillars of care.

The Lethbridge Courthouse has been experimenting with a similar model to a drug treatment court for several months now.

The full drug treatment court is expected to open in late 2021.