If you happened to be in the City of Lloydminster the week of July 14, you may have seen several law enforcement groups.
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The initiative went well beyond traffic enforcement, although that was part of it.
Virtually every illegal substance, firearm, and piece of stolen property will at some point be transported in a vehicle, and routine traffic stops are often where they are detected. Being stopped for failing to signal or having tinted windows can lead to criminal charges as criminals travel. This has been highlighted a few times in this column.
Officers issued more than 110 tickets and 180 traffic warnings. Contrary to the frequent focus on social media regarding “tint tickets,” only four were written. Since some people online express sensitivity toward tint tickets, I am guessing they have added tint to their vehicles, so I wanted to clarify that number for them.
Law-abiding citizens generally are not affected, except perhaps when navigating around stopped vehicles or a blocked street during an active operation. This week focused on criminals and individuals committing offences, which has proven time and again to make a community safer. Full stop.
We were looking not only for active lawbreakers, but also for individuals with outstanding arrest warrants. We left no stone unturned to locate some of our most prolific repeat offenders. Any pushback we experience typically comes from those who commit offences and wish to avoid law enforcement.
During the week, 52 arrest warrants were executed, which is an outstanding result.
A number of new criminal charges were also laid, but the mere presence of marked police vehicles made the city safer in numerous ways.
Drivers adhere to the rules of the road more closely, and criminals lay low, committing fewer crimes.
Participating in our week of crime suppression were the Saskatchewan Marshals, Eastern Alberta Crime Reduction Unit, F Division Traffic Services, K Division RCMP Air Services and all units of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment. We bring these external law enforcement groups and agencies into town for a comprehensive, concentrated approach to reduce crime.
Air Services brought an RCMP helicopter to town to monitor calls for service and assist with incidents involving mobile lawbreakers or fleeing vehicles — at no additional cost to the city.
The suppression aspect comes from an overt law enforcement presence, which deters criminal activity. Residents began commenting early in the week about police vehicles across the city. Unfortunately, online rumours swirled with people claiming to know why so many officers were in town, but none were correct.
We will continue to conduct these unannounced operations because of the clear benefits they provide to city residents.
Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future online columns from the Lloydminster RCMP.
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