Premier Danielle Smith poses for a picture alongside members of her cabinet, MLA Justin Wright and Alberta Sheriffs outside the Dunmore Vehicle Inspection Station on Wednesday, following an announcement regarding new border security efforts.--News Photo Anna Smith
@MedicineHatNews
The province will spend $15 million to upgrade weigh stations near provincial boundaries, including the commercial inspection station at Dunmore, to house new “interdiction patrol” units of the Alberta Sheriffs.
Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis made the announcement on Wednesday in Medicine Hat, stating upgrades at Dunmore, Coutts and in the Crowsnest Pass, will increase policing along the provincial boundaries.
As well, officials gave an operational overview of the current operational capacity of the unit formed in December and is now patrolling areas south of Highway 3.
“(It) puts more boots on the ground to identify where and when these activities are taking place, boosting security along our southern border and disrupting dangerous cross-border human, drugs and weapons trafficking in both directions,” said Ellis.
Last fall, the province announced $29 million to buy equipment, drones and narcotic detection equipment and drug dogs for the newly created unit.
Ellis said the plan was already being developed before border security became an apparent issue underlying trade action by the U.S. federal administration.
“We’ve been working on this for some time,” said Ellis. “Which is why we’ve been able to get these folks trained and deployed and out there probably sooner than anywhere else in Canada.”
The unit now has 20 dedicated members chosen from the Alberta Sheriffs, which typically provides security services and highway patrols. Another 31 will join the units, making 51 in total, that will focus of drug and human trafficking investigations. Ten more employees will provide support services.
“We’ve significantly strengthened the security at Alberta’s southern border,” said Alberta Sheriff’s Inspector Ken Howdle. “All access points, township roads, range roads south of and including Highway 3 to the U.S. Border are being actively patrolled.”
He said seven-member patrol teams are based in Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Burmis (in the Crowsnest Pass), with other officer teams based at Dunmore, Burmis and Coutts, providing increased commercial inspection capacity.
The province has also reached agreement with highway maintenance firm Volker Stevin to train workers to identify and report suspicious activity to authorities.
