The Alberta government said a new Alberta Sheriffs team created to help track down criminals wanted by authorities is now up and running across the province. Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said the Fugitive Apprehension Sheriffs Support Team (FASST) started operations in Edmonton in February and is making a difference. “In just seven months, the team has executed more than 1,300 warrants,” said Ellis at a Tuesday press conference. “Now that may seem like a large number, but there are more than 82,000 warrants active in the Province of Alberta at this time.” By executing these warrants, Ellis said FASST was able to apprehend more than 300 offenders, bring them into custody, and take them off of the streets. Of the about 300 arrests made, he said more than 260 have been Tier One fugitives. Tier One fugitives are the most dangerous, prolific, and high-risk offenders in Alberta. By taking these offenders off the streets and into the courts, he said it shows the Alberta government’s commitment to making the province safer. In the first two days on the job, FASST members in Edmonton helped police locate and arrest a child sex offender who breached parole conditions and a man wanted for first-degree murder for a gang-related homicide. He added the number of arrests have increased since it started and expects it to continue to do so in the months and years to come. The Alberta government has provided $2.6 million in operating funding for FASST units. The units will have seven officers each in Edmonton and Calgary and work with police services across Alberta to ensure criminals are brought to justice. He predicted these units will make communities safer by freeing up resources for police officers in Edmonton and Calgary so they can stay focused on local priorities. He pointed out that police services find and arrest fugitives every day. However, he said there are many fugitives out there at any given time. Now the police in Calgary have more support from the Alberta Sheriffs. He said police officers and the Alberta Sheriffs share a common commitment to protect Albertans and keep communities safe. Working together, he said they can be stronger and more effective. Ellis concluded by saying FASST “is yet another positive step, and Alberta’s government will continue to look for new, innovative ways for the province’s law enforcement agencies to work towards safer communities for all Albertans.” He thanked police officers and the Alberta Sheriffs for the work they do every day. Alberta Sheriffs Superintendent Mike Letourneau said FASST’s impact has been quick and immense. “Through close collaboration with police services, we’ve already managed to remove hundreds of dangerous offenders from the streets and communities,” said Letourneau. “Last count, FASST had executed 13,086 warrants and apprehended 303 fugitives.” Letourneau confirmed its members operate in plainclothes capacity. They have received intensive, specialized training as part of their onboarding. Calgary Police Service (CPS) Chief Constable Mark Neufeld commended the Alberta government and the Alberta Sheriffs. “This is a positive initiative to be sure,” said Neufeld. “This is an initiative that has been said will augment safety for Albertans and Calgarians for sure and will complement the good work being done certainly in the City of Calgary by the Fugitive Apprehension Detail, which is part of CPS, and our HOME Team, which stands for Habitual Offender Management and Enforcement Team.” Neufeld said criminals are mobile by moving through communities, especially the most prolific ones. That means law enforcement has to be aligned in the same way. Ellis followed up by saying FASST started one year ago. “The last cog in this was the Calgary Police Service, and I totally respect what the chief was saying in regards to this,” he said. “They already had their own fugitive apprehension team.” CPS had to ensure there was no deconfliction. He said this is a net benefit for Calgary and all of Alberta. This ordeal comes after the Western Standard learned in July the Alberta government’s new surveillance teams led by the Alberta Sheriffs were on the ground and working with local police to make rural communities safer..EXCLUSIVE: Alberta government deploys surveillance teams to fight rural crime.Ellis said the addition of these two new surveillance teams “will further support our law enforcement partners in stamping out criminal activity in Alberta’s rural areas.” “This is about supporting local investigations to address local crime in our smaller communities,” he said.
The Alberta government said a new Alberta Sheriffs team created to help track down criminals wanted by authorities is now up and running across the province. Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said the Fugitive Apprehension Sheriffs Support Team (FASST) started operations in Edmonton in February and is making a difference. “In just seven months, the team has executed more than 1,300 warrants,” said Ellis at a Tuesday press conference. “Now that may seem like a large number, but there are more than 82,000 warrants active in the Province of Alberta at this time.” By executing these warrants, Ellis said FASST was able to apprehend more than 300 offenders, bring them into custody, and take them off of the streets. Of the about 300 arrests made, he said more than 260 have been Tier One fugitives. Tier One fugitives are the most dangerous, prolific, and high-risk offenders in Alberta. By taking these offenders off the streets and into the courts, he said it shows the Alberta government’s commitment to making the province safer. In the first two days on the job, FASST members in Edmonton helped police locate and arrest a child sex offender who breached parole conditions and a man wanted for first-degree murder for a gang-related homicide. He added the number of arrests have increased since it started and expects it to continue to do so in the months and years to come. The Alberta government has provided $2.6 million in operating funding for FASST units. The units will have seven officers each in Edmonton and Calgary and work with police services across Alberta to ensure criminals are brought to justice. He predicted these units will make communities safer by freeing up resources for police officers in Edmonton and Calgary so they can stay focused on local priorities. He pointed out that police services find and arrest fugitives every day. However, he said there are many fugitives out there at any given time. Now the police in Calgary have more support from the Alberta Sheriffs. He said police officers and the Alberta Sheriffs share a common commitment to protect Albertans and keep communities safe. Working together, he said they can be stronger and more effective. Ellis concluded by saying FASST “is yet another positive step, and Alberta’s government will continue to look for new, innovative ways for the province’s law enforcement agencies to work towards safer communities for all Albertans.” He thanked police officers and the Alberta Sheriffs for the work they do every day. Alberta Sheriffs Superintendent Mike Letourneau said FASST’s impact has been quick and immense. “Through close collaboration with police services, we’ve already managed to remove hundreds of dangerous offenders from the streets and communities,” said Letourneau. “Last count, FASST had executed 13,086 warrants and apprehended 303 fugitives.” Letourneau confirmed its members operate in plainclothes capacity. They have received intensive, specialized training as part of their onboarding. Calgary Police Service (CPS) Chief Constable Mark Neufeld commended the Alberta government and the Alberta Sheriffs. “This is a positive initiative to be sure,” said Neufeld. “This is an initiative that has been said will augment safety for Albertans and Calgarians for sure and will complement the good work being done certainly in the City of Calgary by the Fugitive Apprehension Detail, which is part of CPS, and our HOME Team, which stands for Habitual Offender Management and Enforcement Team.” Neufeld said criminals are mobile by moving through communities, especially the most prolific ones. That means law enforcement has to be aligned in the same way. Ellis followed up by saying FASST started one year ago. “The last cog in this was the Calgary Police Service, and I totally respect what the chief was saying in regards to this,” he said. “They already had their own fugitive apprehension team.” CPS had to ensure there was no deconfliction. He said this is a net benefit for Calgary and all of Alberta. This ordeal comes after the Western Standard learned in July the Alberta government’s new surveillance teams led by the Alberta Sheriffs were on the ground and working with local police to make rural communities safer..EXCLUSIVE: Alberta government deploys surveillance teams to fight rural crime.Ellis said the addition of these two new surveillance teams “will further support our law enforcement partners in stamping out criminal activity in Alberta’s rural areas.” “This is about supporting local investigations to address local crime in our smaller communities,” he said.
