Twenty local athletes who represented Medicine Hat at the Special Olympics Alberta Summer Games received a send-off by members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run in June.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Throughout 2025 the Medicine Hat Police Service responded to several significant ALERT investigations resulting in substantial drug and firearm seizures, made significant improvements to operational equipment and added three new officer positions to expand its Downtown Patrol Unit and add an additional school resource officer.
The year also saw the announcement of new local partnerships with the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education with the launch of the First Responder Academy at Monsignor McCoy High School and a new police recruit training program in partnership with Medicine Hat College.
In March, organized crime investigators in Medicine Hat arrested a man released from prison on a manslaughter conviction who was suspected in a large drug trade between Calgary and the Hat, and managed to seize more than $185,000 worth of narcotics.
Abdullah Mela, 28, was arrested on Feb. 28 while in possession of more than a kilogram of methamphetamine by Brooks RCMP, and a subsequent search of two homes in Medicine Hat led to the discovery of large amounts of cocaine, fentanyl and more than 880 opioid pills.
Moar Faraht, 50, and Bonnie Mather, 64, both from Medicine Hat, also faced several drug-related charges following the raid.
In June, members of the Medicine Hat Police Service ALERT team and Redcliff RCMP took more than an estimated $125,000 of cocaine off local streets after two homes and one vehicle were searched, leading to the arrest of two alleged dealers from Medicine Hat.
Melissa Gertner, 46, and Konnor Smith-Boutler, 24, were both charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crimes.
In July, Medicine Hat’s organized crime team seized more than $250K of fentanyl and cocaine, resulting in one of the largest fentanyl seizures ever in Medicine Hat.
In total, police seized 1,010 grams of cocaine and 800 grams of fentanyl, along with smaller amounts of methamphetamine and cash proceeds of crime from a home in the Flats neighbourhood and from two vehicles.
Sean Bowers, 44, from Medicine Hat, was charged with drug trafficking, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime and possession of a prohibited weapon.
This October, officers shut down a suspect drug lab located along 12th Street NW, believed to be altering fentanyl by adding other chemicals.
Local members of the ALERT’s organized crime unit and the RCMP’s Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Response Team raided the home on Oct. 9 and seized an estimated street value of $135,000 in drugs.
The seizure included 598 grams of fentanyl, 102 grams of methamphetamine, 85 grams of cocaine, 47 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 21 millilitres of Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid and more than $5,000 in cash.
Denai Lanz, 43 and Aaron Greenwood, 36, were arrested at the time of the home’s search and were charged with several drug-related charges.
In November officers arrested two suspected drug dealers and seized a large amount of illicit substances and firearms after executing two home search warrants in an ongoing investigation aimed to cut off a drug supply line targeting users downtown.
ALERT members made the arrests of Wendy Scott, 41, and Kerrie Simms, 43, after executing warrants at a home in Riverside and in the North Flats and discovered a large amount of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine with an estimated street value of $67,000, as well as two prohibited sawed-off shotguns and another firearm which was previously reported stolen.
In total, police seized 157 grams of fentanyl, 187 grams of methamphetamine, 36 grams of cocaine and 522 fentanyl patches. Officers also seized $10,675 in cash.
In 2025 police received numerous calls and provided warnings on the growing amount of online and phone scams targeting Hatters, especially seniors.
Police say they have seen a rise in social media ads, text messages and fraudulent websites designed to steal money and personal information.
Typically scammers manipulate their victims to send gift cards or forms of cryptocurrencies in high pressure situations which are hard for local police to track and investigate.
However, in July, three individuals from Medicine Hat were charged following an in-depth investigation into the infamous “grandparent” phone scam, which targets aging residents, after police were able to spring into action after receiving a tip from a victim in Medicine Hat.
Taranveer Singh, 21, Gursewak Singh, 22, and Harmonjot Kaur, 23, were charged after intensive investigation work by the Major Crime Unit officers, who intercepted a courier that was arranged to attend the victims home and collect the funds in person.
In 2025, the MHPS also made significant improvements to its operational equipment including the replacement of aging firearms, as well as the addition of a new drone and new forensic vehicle.
Earlier in 2025 the Medicine Hat Police Forensic Identification Unit received its new Ford Transit van that has been outfitted to meet the unit’s needs into the future.
The van provides investigators significant space for storage and file work, and has already been utilized at numerous calls and was on backorder for years due to a vehicle shortage on the market.
The service also launched its new DJI Matrice 30 Series drone in March, which is equipped with multiple cameras as well as a thermal camera, and is also weather-resistant and built to work in extreme cold and hot conditions.
Notable personnel changes for the service included welcoming its new deputy chief Rajnish Saini, who amused his new role in the city at the beginning of January after serving 25 years with both the Brantford Police Service and Nelson Police Department.
Police chief Al Murphy also became president of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police, stepping up from his role as vice president to lead the organization.
The city and police service were also able to meet at the negotiating table and hammer out a new collective agreement, which includes pay increases for police officers until 2027.
The retroactive agreement will see a pay increase of 3.75 per cent ratified to the beginning of 2025, as well as an increase of 3.75 per cent which is effective Jan. 1, 2026 and a 3.5 per cent increase in 2027.
Members of the Medicine Hat Police service were also active within the community in 2025 attending several public events and trade shows. Notably, members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run team collaborated with the Special Olympics to host a parade downtown in June to send athletes off to the 2025 Summer Games held in Grande Prairie.
Officers also escorted the Medicine Hat Tigers team bus on several occasions during its historic playoff run as it left the Medicine Hat to battle opponents in Lethbridge, Spokane and Rimouski.
Heading into the new year, Murphy says he wishes all citizens a safe and healthy Holiday Season and is looking forward to a happy and healthy 2026.
