(Photo: LPS)

By Christian Oldale

Lethbridge Police Service’s Downtown Policing Unit expands for 2025

Feb 13, 2025 | 10:25 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge Police Service’s Downtown Policing Unit (DPU) has four new members.

The four have been on the beat since the beginning of the year to help continue to make their presence known, seen and felt by both business owners and negative users in the city centre.

With the new additions, the unit now consists of six Constables and a Sergeant.

LPS Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh says, “The addition of the new DPU positions will not only increase police presence and visibility downtown, but enhance the team’s capacity to conduct more proactive enforcement of open drug use and other issues.”

The Downtown Policing Unit provides a first response to incidents downtown and sees its officers engage in various proactive initiatives to target criminal activity and social disorder.

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In 2024, enforcement projects led to more than 300 arrests for open drug use, nearly 450 arrest warrants executed, over 200 criminal charges and 2,000 doses of methamphetamine and fentanyl being seized.

LPS says with the new members, the work will continue to expand in 2025, with further collaborations with members of the Crime Suppression Team, Property Crimes Unit, Community Peace Officers and Patrols on similar enforcement projects.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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