WESTLOCK – Westlock County Enforcement Services is grappling with a rise in social issues that are straining resources, according to Westlock County Sgt. Darcy DeVos.
Speaking to council during their December budget deliberations, Devos highlighted the persistent challenges including social conflict, rural and organized petty crime, addiction, and homelessness. As a result, county enforcement staff have been diverted from their regular traffic safety and enforcement duties to address the mounting public safety concerns. This shift has had a noticeable impact on revenue generated from traffic fines,
“The department has experienced a drop in traffic tickets issued in 2024, which is directly related to the increase in bylaw investigations,” said DeVos.
The department has seen a sharp increase in the number of bylaw investigations, which has contributed to a rise in charges. But this comes at a cost. Enforcement services staff capacity is strained as workloads continue to rise to respond to more incoming calls from residents.
In addition to handling increasing call volumes and investigations, the department is tasked with overseeing traffic safety on the county’s busy roads, with thousands of vehicles passing through both primary and secondary highways each day.
Enforcement Services has strengthened its working relationships with key partners, including the RCMP, Alberta Sheriff’s Office, and local fire departments, said DeVos. Over the last year enforcement services has continued to build and strengthen the relationship with conservation officers. Working together they have conducted joint force ops.
Improved communication with RCMP and information sharing has kept community peace officers aware of important and emerging issues and enhanced their ability to ensure public safety. Recently, community peace officers started joining the RCMP Coffee with a Cop to bring awareness to the community and answer questions residents may have.
Westlock RCMP S/Sgt. Jeff Sehn said that one of his priorities since his arrival in Westlock is to grow even stronger relationships with communities and partner agencies including the Westlock County Peace Officers.
“In just over a year we have regularly engaged in community-based events (Coffee with a Cop, Cram a Cruiser), proactive initiatives (Checkstops, High Visibilty Patrols) and work closely together on enforcement initiatives,” he said. “Both agencies look for opportunities to work collaboratively whenever possible.”
Westlock County Enforcement Services is applying for expanded authority for Community Peace Officers. If successful, this would enable officers to take on additional responsibilities, such as investigating low-level thefts, addressing non-injury vehicle accidents, and providing enhanced support to the RCMP.
County enforcement will also develop and deliver special crime reduction programs such as crime prevention through environmental design to proactively reduce crime.
Westlock County Enforcement Services continues to invest in specialized training for its officers. Recent courses have included Immediate Roadside Sanctions training, Immobilization Equipment Training, Use of Force Investigations course, and upcoming courses such as officer legal studies and Dangerous Goods Inspector certification.
Westlock County Enforcement Services also provides approximately 1,500 hours of Community Peace Officer patrol annually and responds to more than 300 investigations and calls each year. In addition, they manage approximately 500 total investigation files related to traffic enforcement, and address around 35-40 unsightly properties annually. Officers enforce laws in school zones, monitor distracted and impaired driving, conduct commercial vehicle inspections, and respond to complaints related to noise, drugs, alcohol, and other issues. They have also provided support to local Citizens on Patrol.
The ongoing Peace Officer and Community Engagement Program and Positive Ticketing Program continues to reduce crime, improve community relations, and enhance the presence of the department in the county, said DeVos.
County bylaw officers have seen success in addressing unsightly properties in hamlets across the county, said DeVos.
Through Lacombe Police Service, Westlock County Enforcement has upgraded its safety monitoring capabilities. The county now uses iNET Public Safety, a more reliable safety monitoring system. DeVos said the Government of Alberta software program was unreliable, often failing to launch or crashing during an operation and tracking was intermittent, which put officers at risk.
iNET Public Safety provides GPS tracking, timed monitored messaging and in-car CPIC access, something that wasn’t offered by the Government of Alberta monitoring system. This enhanced capability allows officers to obtain instant criminal background information on persons, vehicles, and other pertinent information during traffic stops and interactions. iNet system can pull reports, records of vehicle speed and tracking with time stamped data. It also offers MWS messaging, cellular and radio AFRRCS communication.
