A Fugitive Apprehension Sheriffs Support Team (FASST) is being created to ensure that offenders accused and convicted of crimes are swiftly brought to justice.
As crime continues to rise across Canada, Alberta’s government is taking action to apprehend criminals in the province before they can reoffend. Budget 2023 will invest $2 million into the FASST program. The team will help apprehend suspects wanted on outstanding warrants to ensure they are processed through Alberta’s justice system.
“With new funding in Budget 2023, Alberta is establishing this team to take away a threat that can affect any Albertan, regardless of the community they call home. FASST will play an essential role in arresting those who hurt others and ensuring that they see their day in court.”
Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Once operational, FASST will assist local police services in apprehending high-priority offenders, eliminating the risk they will reoffend and revictimize Albertans. The team will begin recruiting this year and hire 20 new full-time equivalents, keeping sheriffs where they are needed most.
“Alberta’s sheriffs are so proud of the work we do to keep Alberta families and their homes and communities safe during tumultuous times. These new resources will allow us to provide much-needed specialized supports across the province, as well as more safety and security when the people we serve need it most.”
Farooq Sheikh, chief, Alberta Sheriffs
As of February, there were 4,200 prolific violent offenders with outstanding warrants in Alberta. Ensuring these criminals are apprehended is an essential part of any justice system focused on protecting public safety. FASST will play an important role in promoting safe, secure communities. The support the team will provide in apprehending fugitives will free up other police resources to focus on priorities such as ongoing criminal investigations and community policing efforts.
Recruiting and training for the team will begin this fall, which is expected to be fully operational by March 2024.
Budget 2023 secures Alberta’s future by transforming the health-care system to meet people’s needs, supporting Albertans with the high cost of living, keeping our communities safe and driving the economy with more jobs, quality education and continued diversification.
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office. They can do so via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
Red Deer will soon have better access to justice with a Court of King’s Bench applications judge appointment.
The Government of Alberta is appointing Matthew Park as an applications judge for the city effective June 1.
“Having an applications judge in Red Deer will improve access to justice for residents. Matthew Park is an outstanding member of his community and I congratulate him on his appointment,” said Minister of Justice Tyler Shandro in a release.
An applications judge deals with matters of civil law, maintenance enforcement, foreclosures, bankruptcy, residential tenancy disputes and builders’ liens.
In order to be eligible for an applications judge appointment, candidates must have been at the bar for at least 10 years, be approved by an interview panel and then be recommended by the Alberta Judicial Council.
Park is very familiar with Red Deer. He began working as a student-at-law with Warren Sinclair LLP in 2005. He became an associate lawyer, and has been a partner since 2010. Park specializes in commercial litigation.
Not only is he an active member of Alberta’s legal community, he’s also active in the Red Deer community. He served as secretary to the Central Alberta Bar Society and as director of the Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic Foundation. He is also a charter member of the Waskasoo Optimist Club of Red Deer and has served as director and treasurer of the Downtown Red Deer Business Association.
The Court of King’s Bench, as per the Alberta Courts website, is the Superior Trial Court for the province. It deals with trials of civil and criminal matter, as well as appeals decisions of the Provincial Court.
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
Alberta will be the first province to make all police services wear body cams.
On Tuesday, March 14, 2023, the Government of Alberta made the announcement – a move made to increase trust between police and communities.
“Mandating police to wear body-worn cameras is a transformational decision that will ensure all interactions with officers are objective,” said Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis.
“Whether living in large cities or smaller rural communities, Albertans have the right to feel safe and have the trust that police will assist and be fair in doing so.”
Watch the press conference.
The province is partnering with the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police (AACP) to develop the mandate and standards required to implement body cams provincewide, as well as working out the costs and logistics. This includes conversations with front-line police officers, municipal police services and three self-administered Indigenous police services.
“AACP looks forward to receiving the details of the body-worn camera mandate to support transparency and further build trust within our communities and welcomes the opportunity to work together to support this,” said Dean LaGrange, vice-president of AACP and chief of the Camrose Police Service.
The body-worn cameras are small cameras worn on a law enforcement’s chest or head without limiting mobility to record interactions with the public. The cameras have microphones and internal data storage to save video footage. This will make it easier to review interactions with police services, and promote accountability for all parties.
The aim is to position the province as a role model for safe and secure communities across North America.
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
Amendments will be coming to further strengthen the justice system.
As part of the omnibus Bill 9 – the proposed Red Tape Reduction Statues Amendment Act, 2023 – prolific violent offenders will not be able to access income support. Alberta’s court judges will also see their title elevated to justice in the Provincial Court of Alberta.
“The amendments introduced take action to strengthen Alberta’s justice system,” said Minister of Justice and Attorney General Tyler Shandro. “These changes are part of a series of efforts that we have made over the course of our term in office to strengthen and reform the justice system.”
The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service estimates that there are about 4,200 violent offenders in Alberta, as of Feb. 8, 2023, with outstanding warrants for arrest. Under current legislation, those on the run may still be entitled to receive income support.
If Bill 9 passes, the Income and Employment Supports Act would be amended to close the loophole. This would suspend income support intended for basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. Once the arrest warrant is executed or cancelled, income support benefits would resume.
It would not suspend financial support for health benefits, or other provincial benefit programs such as AISH, Alberta Seniors Benefit, and Transition to Adulthood and Foundational Learning Assistance.
Regulations would outline what offences would trigger benefit suspension.
B.C. and Manitoba already have legislation in place that allows them to suspend provincial benefits. Saskatchewan has introduced legislation to this end as well.
Elevating Alberta’s court
Changing the title of judge to justice in the Provincial Court of Alberta would make the judicial title consistent with justices of Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench and the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
It is part of a series of reforms initiated by Alberta’s government to strengthen and elevate the Provincial Court of Alberta, which will be renamed Alberta Court of Justice effective April 1.
The provincial court handles more than 100,000 criminal cases, 17,000 family and child protection cases, and about 10,000 civil cases each year. With locations in 72 communities, the provincial court is the most accessible and affordable court system in Alberta.
Trespassing laws will also be strengthened. Learn more about changes to trespassing legislation on the Red Deer-North site here.
See the full news release on the Government of Alberta website here.
Red Deer-North constituents with questions or comments can reach out to the local constituency office via the form on the contact page. They can also reach the office by phoning (403) 342–2263.
