Local RCMP to introduce body-worn cameras

By Mickey Dumont Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Claresholm RCMP are preparing to add body cameras to their crime fighting arsenal.
Claresholm RCMP Sergeant Perry Pelletier made the announcement on Nov. 25, in his second quarter report to Claresholm town council.
The report covers the period from July 1, 2024 until Sept. 30, 2024.
“It’s going to be a lengthy process to get the infrastructure in place,” he told the council, but the cameras will soon be regular police issue.
The police will need a dedicated server which has not been delivered, yet.
Pelletier said the body-worn cameras will be another policing tool, “pretty much like our Watchguard cameras in our cars.”
Claresholm’s top cop informed council instituting the body-worn cameras will be a long process.
“They’re talking 12 to 18 months for complete rollout,” he said.
Already two members of the Claresholm detachment have been trained in their use with the remaining members to be trained within the next two weeks.
“Once we have this fully operational, we’ll advise mayor and council and then the community as well,” Pelletier said. “Just let them know that we do have these things, and we are, in fact, using them.”

Police busy according to quarterly RCMP report

From Canada Day until the end of September, Claresholm RCMP responded to 714 calls for service.
“Wow! That’s a lot,” said Coun. Mike Cutler. “It seems high.”
“It seems high,” echoed Claresholm RCMP Sergeant Perry Pelletier.
Pelletier was delivering the second quarter RCMP report to Claresholm town council at its Nov. 25, meeting.
“We took in 715 files, 32 were unfounded, so 683 actual files that we took in during that time period are complaints from the public,” he explained.
The report covers the period from July 1, 2024 until Sept. 30, 2024.
Despite the seemingly high calls to service during the second quarter, Pelletier reported said there were no major incidents.
“Overall we’re doing pretty good in this community,” he said.
The last major problems in Claresholm were the break-ins in June.
“Those matters are still pending. We have two accused, so far, just waiting court. But nothing (in the second quarter) as significant as that,” Pelletier said.
Digging into the police report and highlighting statistics for council, Pelletier said the RCMP was successful in laying charges in 15 in-town speeding-related offences.
“Our goal is slightly off track, but I’m confident that we will meet the goal that’s set out,” Pelletier informed council.
Other highlights Pelletier drew council’s attention to included three seatbelt charges; seven other moving violation charges; four charges for driving without valid insurance; 26 charges for non-moving violations; two for failing to remain at the scene of an accident; two charges for driving with undue care and attention; one for driving while suspended; and one charge for using a cell phone while driving.
There were also periodic checkstops.
“Usually my guys like to get together with the sheriffs and Fort Macleod. They will set up at Granum corner or on (highways) 519 or 520,” Pelletier said.
RCMP members conducted 17 compliance (home by curfew, following court ordered bail conditions, and so on) checks.
“Most of these individuals have been involved with property crimes and drug offences in the community,” Pelletier explained. “Some of these (individuals) are on court action or court-imposed conditions. Other ones are on probation orders or release orders by the courts. So, until their court matters are done, or they’re done but they’re still on conditions to behave themselves…,” he said.
“So far we haven’t deemed anybody non-compliant, but we’ve laid charges after the fact when we find people breaching in the course of the day, when they’re not supposed to be out and we find them out. We find them shoplifting with people they’re not supposed to even be with. That happened just recently, too.
“Those checks are currently on track and I think they’re going to exceed (in numbers) just like last year. And we’re conducting these checks at random dates and times. Sometimes twice a night, just to keep them guessing.”
An increase in police foot patrols in this last quarter is paying off as well.
“The guys are out walking around,” Pelletier reported. “We’ve done at least 27 foot patrols within the communities. This includes walking around various parts of Claresholm, the M.D., around the airport, at Stavely and places such as that. I’m not going to lie, it probably will slow down as the weather gets (colder). But they will be out if there’s any events going on in the park like a Christmas thing coming up again. Sometimes the guys might get a walk around in that too, barring any calls for service of course.
“This has had an impact especially (at) the airport. We were getting quite a few calls from the M.D. When the guys started increasing their presence out there, whether on foot or in vehicles, they pretty much dropped right off. So, they’re seeing us out there too, so they (bad actors) may not like that.”
Pelletier emphasized police make up just a handful of eyes and ears in the community while the public has eyes and ears everywhere.
“There’s more of you than there is of us. We rely on the public to call in anything that looks out of the ordinary,” he said.
“I’ve noticed a lot of people walking down back alleys with flashlights,” Said Mayor Brad Schlossberger. “It makes me suspicious.”
“If it’s not your neighbour out there, you normally see, well who is that guy? Who knows what they’re up to? Call us,” instructed Pelletier.
“People won’t come up and tell us about who’s selling drugs, but members of the community may hear something, too, from somebody talking. That’s the best way that we can enforce that,” the sergeant said, asking for the help extra ears and eyes would give them.
“Right now, I’ll be honest, we don’t have any major problems in this community that we’re aware of. We’ve received a couple of reports of potential trafficking in certain narcotics, but these came in via anonymous (Crimestoppers) reports. (Our) members have tried to corroborate this information, but haven’t been able to. We have to corroborate the information that we receive in order to validate that something’s been going on in order for us to action it,” Pelletier told council.
“Fighting drugs is an intelligence led, intelligence driven combat. So hopefully that’s kind of all we ask. It’s in every community. We cannot avoid it, unfortunately.”
Federal laws are also not helping police control drug problems.
“The way the laws are now, that possession of a control substance is still not prosecutable under federal statute, in my opinion, just enables it,” he said.