Calgary's fifth Safer Calgary operation: 170 warrants executed in a day

Calgary police carried out their fifth Safer Calgary – Operation Order on November 4, with officers from the Calgary Police Service working alongside Calgary Community Safety, Transit Public Safety, the Alberta Sheriffs, Emergency Health Services Alberta and community agencies throughout the day to tackle crime and social disorder.

The day in numbers: 320 calls, 10 people charged

According to Calgary police, officers attended 320 calls during the operation, charged 10 people, laid 18 charges, issued 99 summonses and executed 170 arrest warrants. They also made 330 proactive community engagements and 165 social support and outreach referrals.

Highlights: two arrests in East Village, pregnant woman housed

During the operation, officers arrested two people in East Village in connection with a robbery and possession of illegal cigarettes, one of whom was also in breach of probation; seized 44 cartons containing more than 8,000 illegal cigarettes in the downtown west end; and intervened in an assault in progress in the Beltline, arresting two people on assault charges.

During a patrol at the City Hall CTrain station, transit peace officers recognised a person matching a missing person report recently shared by the RCMP and found the person also had outstanding warrants. Officers also connected a woman who is seven months pregnant and in need of housing with a bed reserved for police referrals at the Navigation Centre.

Chief: enforcement and support go together

Calgary Police Service Chief Katie McLellan said no single operation can solve the city's complex public safety challenges, but accepting crime and social disorder is not an option: when enforcement is necessary, police will act, and when there is a chance to connect someone with supports, they will do that too. Alberta Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis and Mayor Jeromy Farkas said cross-agency cooperation is key to Calgarians feeling safe in their communities and public spaces.

Operation Order is part of the city's broader public safety work, alongside the longer-running Safer Calgary – CERTainty initiative and the recently concluded Operation Restore.

(Photo: Calgary Police Service)