An encampment set up outside of the Civic Centre Park in Lethbridge in August 2022. The City of Lethbridge is requesting the support of the Alberta Sheriffs in managing an expected increase in encampments in 2023. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

City of Lethbridge requests support of sheriffs in managing encampments

Apr 5, 2023 | 3:50 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge city council has put in a formal request with the Government of Alberta as it anticipates an increase in encampments this spring and summer.

At the regular meeting of council on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, members voted to authorize Mayor Blaine Hyggen to write a letter to Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis, requesting the resources of the Alberta Sheriffs to manage encampments on a six-month trial basis, commencing in May 2023.

It was not specified how many officers the city would be asking for.

The Lethbridge Police Commission will also receive a copy of the letter.

The official motion in council states that more than 90 structures were erected in and around the Civic Center Park in downtown Lethbridge last year.

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Several members of council stated they have heard from the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) that effectively managing the situation proved to be a significant challenge.

Hyggen said he wants to see sheriffs brought in to the city to work alongside LPS to bolster its resources for this one specific matter.

The goal, he adds, is to improve safety for not only the general public, but people who would be utilizing the encampments.

“It’s not a, ‘We’re going to arrest our way out of this,'” said Hyggen, “But I’m concerned of having those who are in the social services sector go into these encampments without having security in there. We’ve heard of shootings that’ve happened in these encampments, so it’s not fair to those folks who are going to help these individuals without having somebody to support them in case something was going to happen.”

Hyggen continues, “We want to make sure these encampments are down as quickly as they’re up, in my opinion, because that doesn’t allow for that [criminal] activity to get embedded in those areas.”

After the council meeting, Hyggen said he had the opportunity to speak with Minister Ellis. According to Hyggen, Ellis was “very receptive” to the request and noted that the deployment of sheriffs to Calgary and Edmonton were helping to alleviate the pressures that those police services were facing.

Another component of tackling homelessness and encampments, said Hyggen, are wrap-around social services such as housing, mental health, and addictions.

The City of Lethbridge recently approved a total of nearly $5 million for three affordable housing projects.

As well, a recovery community is set to open just outside of city limits this spring.

Hyggen told media that he will continue to advocate for more social services.

READ MORE: City Council commits nearly $5 million to three affordable housing projects in Lethbridge

READ MORE: Construction starts on Lethbridge Recovery Community facility