Southern Alberta warrant roundup: 28 arrested, 62 warrants executed

The Alberta RCMP and Alberta Sheriffs arrested 28 priority offenders during a three-day warrant operation across southern Alberta, police said. The Oct. 27–29 operation led to the execution of 62 warrants and included the arrest of two people unlawfully at large who were wanted Canada-wide.

The joint operation involved investigative and enforcement work in 28 municipalities, with arrests made in 15 communities. It brought together the RCMP Southern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit and the sheriffs’ Fugitive Apprehension Sheriff Support Team.

Police said the 62 warrants were for violent offences, including assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, suffocation or choking, unlawful confinement, and break and enter.

According to the RCMP, a provincewide ranking system that includes criminal history is used to identify people responsible for the greatest levels of harm in Alberta communities. Police services share crime data to help develop a provincial priority offender list that crosses jurisdictional boundaries, with support from the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police.

Alberta Sheriffs Inspector Darren Thompson said co-operation is important because priority offenders do not restrict their activity to one community or jurisdiction. He said operations like this bring together the sheriffs’ and RCMP’s intelligence, expertise and resources to locate wanted offenders and execute warrants.

RCMP Sgt. Gary Maclaren said the people targeted were identified through a data-informed process intended to focus enforcement on offenders responsible for disproportionate crime and harm. He said the execution of the warrants showed the value of a coordinated approach to offender management across southern Alberta.