Community peace officers in Alberta will temporarily operate under the command of local police as part of provincial government efforts to tackle the fentanyl crisis.
The province made the announcement at a Feb. 26 press conference in Edmonton, with Alberta Deputy Premier and Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis describing the strategy as one of the steps the province is taking to address the fentanyl crisis, which U.S. President Donald Trump has cited as a major reason for his threatened tariffs on Canada.
The new strategy will see more than 800 community peace officers from 34 municipalities coordinate operations with local police by integrating their communication and dispatch systems while patrolling and responding to calls for service. Ellis said the increased law enforcement presence may deter criminals and illegal activity.
“Doing so will create the operational consistency needed to combat fentanyl crime as well as social disorder with compassion as well as efficiency,” the minister said. “Officer presence matters, and this will make a significant difference in the fight against social disorder and open-air drug use.”
In Alberta, community peace officers are law enforcement officials who work for municipalities, post-secondary institutions, animal protection agencies, and other organizations to enforce specific provincial laws and municipal bylaws.
The mayors of Edmonton and Calgary are supporting the initiative, saying their cities are committed to cooperating in efforts to combat drugs.
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“Tackling the fentanyl crisis is critical for supporting healthy communities, and for defending Canada’s economic interests during tariff negotiations,” said Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said her city “is fully aligned with the province in tackling the complex and devastating drug crisis.”
The province said it will monitor the results to assess their effectiveness.
The announcement comes as the U.S. tariff deadline nears. Trump on Feb. 3 agreed to a 30-day pause in tariffs on Canada, following a commitment from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to beef up border security to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States. Canada has implemented a number of measures, including the appointment of a “fentanyl czar” and the designation of Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations.
Members of the U.S. administration have said the tariffs are not a “trade war” but a “drug war” and that Canada can avert the duties if it proves it has taken sufficient action on border security and fentanyl trafficking. Trump on Feb. 24 said “the tariffs are going forward, on time, on schedule.”
The Alberta government has taken measures to address Trump’s border concerns and was the first province to launch its own border security plan last December.
After Canada secured the tariff reprieve earlier this month, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in a Feb. 5 statement that her province would “significantly increase police and prosecutorial resources“ to go after ”labs, kingpins and dealers that are responsible for killing 49,000 Canadians since 2016.”
Other provinces have also stepped up their efforts to combat fentanyl. Saskatchewan, for example, this week announced new strategies to prevent the manufacturing, trafficking, and consumption of fentanyl and methamphetamine, with fines of up to $1 million for fentanyl dealers.
