Officer discusses motivation behind enforcement project
By Toyin Obatusin - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on December 20, 2024.
Herald photo by Toyin Obatusin
Sgt. Ryan Darroch, of the Downtown Police Unit, talks with Emily Chong and Glenn Elgersma earlier this week at the Downtown BRZ office.As 2024 comes to a close, Sgt. Ryan Darroch of the Downtown Police Unit of Lethbridge Police Service has shared how the LPS-led targeted enforcement project that recently concluded came to be.
The motivation behind the project were trends noted around the downtown area, repeat offenders being released and an astounding number of outstanding warrants, said Darroch this week.
The sergeant came up with a way to resolve all of these issues at once.
Officers set in place systems and process operations by building relationships with downtown businesses and responding to suspicious behaviours in a timely manner.
Officers are informed of repeated suspicious behaviours or an influx of cash being circulated around the downtown area in a day. Extra resources are used for foot patrolling where officers can visit companies to discuss what may or may not be working and what they would like to see more of.
When asked about the motivation behind creating this project, Darroch said “seeing a large amount of arrest warrants, and people preying on our vulnerable population by trafficking drugs. We do some community policing where we use extra resources, go and walk around and make some connections with business partners in the downtown core, have conversations about what’s working and what’s not, what they would like to see more of.”
The numbers of LPS officers on foot patrol will increase to seven in 2025. “We’ve got an increase in recruits which has led us to get our staffing back up to a more reasonable number,” said Darroch This will allow for officers to be present in the mornings and mid-days to address the negative behaviours and calls for service downtown.
Two main drugs used in public that are reported by business owners and the general public, are methamphetamine and fentanyl being smoked out of a glass bubble pipe, and crack cocaine. Criminal charges laid during the enforcement project included ones for assault, theft, or breaching of conditions.
Jobs like these take the right type of officers, and with a different skill set who may be a bit more in tune with the community, said Darroch.
“You gotta have a little more patience some days and just a willingness to build bridges with our community partners, too” he added.
With 300 arrests and 400 outstanding warrants executed, in partnership with the Alberta Sheriffs Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Unit, police say the project was a success.
“You can tell when things are going well and when things aren’t, and I think that we’re moving in a positive direction, which I hope will continue into 2025,” said Darroch.
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Sgt. Darroch is a hard working member of LPS who needs our applause. We have found that not having deterrents in place, has allowed this drug crisis to explode across North America. Now, police forces are realizing that we must enforce the laws, not just to protect the public, but by doing so, it protects the addicts as well, and gets them off the streets and into treatment. Many do not survive the streets for long, so if you can get them off of them, they have a better chance and the public is not impacted by related crimes and property damage. Lower costs and lower loss of life!