Motz hopes task force can put focus on rural crime spike
By Tim Kalinowski on November 25, 2017.
tkalinowski@medicinehatnews.com @MHNTimKal Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner MP Glen Motz is hopeful his new parliamentary Alberta Caucus Rural Crime Task Force will bring greater attention to the issue of increasing rural crime in southern Alberta and across the province. “It is rampant throughout Alberta,” says Motz. “Rural crime has taken off. The Mounties’ resources are stretched. People are frustrated — they don’t know how to properly protect their homes and property … Hearing these concerns from constituents we thought it important to gather information so we have a better understanding of these issues.” According to the last quarterly crime report released by the Redcliff RCMP at Cypress County council in early November, rural crime in the region has doubled since March. In their March report, the RCMP also reported it had doubled over the previous quarter. It’s a worrying trend, says Motz, and a matter which deserves greater scrutiny and attention. “We want to consult with stakeholders and members of the public, and gather information,” states Motz. “We don’t know what will come out of it for sure, but anything we can do to assist our constituents, our law enforcement partners and local mayors, reeves and councils certainly we will put our heads together to do that.” Motz says some of the information he has gathered to date suggests a strong link between this spike in rural crime and the illicit drug trade. Part of the task force’s mandate is to look at the resources and manpower law enforcement have available to them to contend with this. “About 80-90 per cent of the crimes are committed by 10-15 per cent of the criminals,” states Motz. “(Crystal) meth has increasingly trickled down here over the last couple of years, and has grown exponentially. “Unequivocally, I would say this increase in the crime rate is a direct connection to increased drug use in our communities.” 9
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