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“Edmonton people need to feel safe and secure when using public transportation, visiting restaurants, attending events and walking the streets in their own community.”
Publication date:
May 26, 2022 • 5 hours ago • 4 minutes reading • 81 comments Police patrolled the Chinatown neighborhood of Edmonton on Thursday, May 26, 2022, after two recent accidental killings in the area. Photo by Larry Wong / Postmedia
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Alberta Justice Secretary Tyler Shandro cites the Provincial Police Act to force Edmonton City Council to draw up a “public safety plan” to tackle downtown crime – a move Mayor Amardjit Sohi said was a move. “Obviously excessive approach”.
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In a letter publicly shared on social media on Thursday, Shandro said he had ordered Sohi to develop a plan and strengthen police to deal with “extremely alarming and unacceptable crime rates” in the city center and on public transport.
“As Secretary of Justice and Advocate General, I have a responsibility under the Police Act to ensure that Edmonton residents receive the law enforcement protection they deserve,” Shandro said in a statement.
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“It can’t happen again:” Edmonton City Council calls for action after two killings in Chinatown
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Edmonton City Council needs adequate funding for police to deal with recent violence: Shandro
“Edmonton people need to feel safe and secure when they use public transportation, go to restaurants, go to events and walk the streets in their own community.
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The letter said that statistics from the Edmonton Police Department show that the number of violent crimes in the city center has increased by 11 percent from 2020 to 2021 and that so far this year the police have registered 549 disruptions in the LRT and transit centers, including 130 violent incidents and 42 weapons. complaints.
As Secretary of Justice and Attorney General, I referred to section 30 (1) of the Police Act, which calls for a public safety plan to be developed within two weeks to respond to the wave of violent crime in downtown Edmonton. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/NVG3WzTT1J
– Tyler Shandro @ (@shandro) May 26, 2022
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Section 30 (1) of the Alberta Police Act states that if, in the opinion of the Minister of Justice, a municipality responsible for providing police services does not maintain them effectively or does not comply with the law or regulations, the Minister may order the municipal council to “take the action which the Minister considers necessary to remedy the situation”.
The announcement comes a week after Hung Trang, 64, and Ban Fook Hoang, 61, were killed in random attacks in Edmonton’s Chinatown. Justin Bone, 36, is charged with second-degree murder.
The city council was also recently involved in a debate on police funding, with talks scheduled for Friday to determine EPS’s core budget or return to a previous formula that calculated funding for several years. EPS could get a little less money if the council approves a $ 385 million in core funding – that would rule out an annual supplement from the radar, totaling about $ 22 million.
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Neither Shandro’s statement nor the corresponding letter sent to the mayor makes it clear what exactly he expects to see in this new public safety plan.
Sohi said he would meet with Shandro next Tuesday. But he added that the letter arrived without any indication of concerns from the minister’s office.
He said he did not bother to do what Shandro asked for, because he would simply bring a list of things the city is already doing. This includes funding for transit peacekeepers and social workers at LRT, money for day-to-day services at the Bissel Center, and a $ 5 million proposal to spend on core patrols and transit to tackle public safety.
Police also stepped up patrols in key neighborhoods this week in response to fears of violence.
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The mayor said he did not deny that crime and riots were a real problem in the center, Chinatown and the LRT system. But he said the problems are rooted in social problems ignored by the province.
“I hope that Minister Shandro and his government will step up and recognize that the security problems we have are caused by a lack of investment in social infrastructure,” he said.
“People stay on the streets to deal with crises, deal with injuries, deal with addictions and create safety problems.
A 🧵Public safety: Public safety is not the responsibility of any state order. To create a safe community and city, it requires all three government procurements to work together to help solve complex challenges. #yeg #yegcc #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli
– Andrew Knack (@AndrewKnack) May 26, 2022
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Shandro’s letter outlines a list of financial aid provided to municipalities during the pandemic, funding for homeless services agencies in Edmonton and money for addiction treatment centers and mental health interventions.
“The Alberta government also supports a wide variety of initiatives addressing the root causes of crime and social problems,” the letter said.
“This is designed to remove the pressure on the police and move to more appropriate and effective solutions and problem management.
Shandro was not allowed to answer questions on Thursday, and his spokesman, Joseph Dow, told Postmedia that the minister would have “more to say” after meeting with Sohi.
NDP justice critic Irfan Sabir accused Shandro of “transferring money instead of working with municipalities”.
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He said gun violence was a serious problem and needed to be addressed by all levels of government, the community and the police. Sabir said the province needs to invest in things like homelessness and mental health support, something he says have failed.
“I think the government needs to take a more joint approach, and I hope that once the city comes up with a plan, the government is there to work with them on different aspects of that plan,” he said.
An EPS spokesman said he “will not comment at this time” as Chief Dale McPhee will attend the council meeting on Friday.
ajoannou@postmedia.com
@ashleyjoannou
masmith@postmedia.com
@meksmith
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