Province announces funding to tackle rural crime
LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Government of Alberta said it plans to invest in initiatives that will reduce crime in rural communities.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis explains that the 2023 provincial budget includes $27.3 million in new funding for the Alberta Sheriffs.
Of that, $10.2 million will go towards hiring more people, including courthouse security, prisoner transport, and traffic enforcement on provincial highways.
According to Ellis, another $4.3 million will go towards new rural crime initiatives for the Sheriffs, including two “plainclothes teams” who will assist RCMP detachments by conducting surveillance on criminal targets.