Downtown Calgary police operation nets 25 arrests, refers 115 to social agencies
Calls for social disorder in the downtown core “decreased significantly” during a police operation Wednesday, according to the Calgary Police Service.
On Wednesday, the Calgary Police Service (CPS) conducted Operation Order, which saw officers redeployed from other parts of the city to patrol key areas in the downtown core including the East Village, Stephen Avenue and Century Gardens.
Updated figures from the service show 40 charges were laid against 25 people during the operation, with 13 of those charges related to breaches of probation or failure to comply with a release order.
220 warrants were also executed by officers, CPS said in a press release late Thursday.
The one-day operation also resulted in 115 referrals to social agencies, and six encampment cleanups.
According to CPS, social disorder calls saw a significant decrease during the operation when compared to the 34 days prior, but officer-generated calls for service “significantly increased.” Officers responded to a total of 204 calls during the daytime operation.
“This is good news,” Calgary police chief Katie McLellan said in a statement.
“It demonstrates that individuals who loiter in public spaces can find alternative places to be, and we hope that is in the care of our social agencies. Our expectation is that it stays this way,” read the chief’s statement.
“Open-air drug use, weapons and encampments are not appropriate, or safe, uses of our public spaces.”
The operation saw police partner with bylaw and transit officers, as well as Alberta Sheriffs and social agencies, to conduct patrols throughout the downtown core, with “focused enforcement and community outreach.”
The influx of officers in the core Wednesday came as a surprise for some businesses along Stephen Avenue, including The Unicorn, which saw two pairs of officers pay a visit throughout the operation.
“It’s great, but just strange at lunchtime because we haven’t ever seen that in years, unless they’re looking for someone,” said Wendy Irvine, operations shareholder at The Unicorn. “There are still people around but hopefully we can move forward positively.”
Irvine said social disorder has been a longstanding issue for the Stephen Avenue bar, with some recent successes including a cleanup of the alleyway to the rear of the building.
While Wednesday’s operation was welcomed by Irvine and her staff, she hopes future police action will take place later in the day.
“Daytime kind of takes care of itself to a certain degree,” she told Global News on Thursday. “It’s after 6:00, that’s when you need it.”
According to Jon Molyneux, vice-president of business development at Concorde Group, the operation was welcomed but he noted Calgary’s homeless population needs more support.
“It’s sad,” he told Global News. “It’s definitely a crisis right now with the unhoused population in Calgary and it feels sometimes like there’s not much of a plan.”
A fire broke out earlier this week at the rear of Bridgette Bar, owned by the Concorde Group, and the cause remains under investigation as the cleanup continues.
However, Molyneux said staff regularly deal with social disorder incidents in the area and work with different organizations like the Alpha House’s HELP Teams to train staff.
“We’re really not that well equipped to deal with some of the situations that arise,” he said. “It’s important for us, but it’s more important for the people that are facing these challenges.”
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said safety in the downtown requires “a careful balance of enforcement and support,” and underscored the importance of pairing police officers with social agencies, as seen during Operation Order.
“The long-term solutions to make our downtown, and our entire city safer, will require investment in housing, social supports and infrastructure. This applies to crime and the causes of crime, but also other public safety issues like pedestrian safety,” Farkas said in a statement to Global News.
“We also must empower the important organizations and community groups doing this essential work with stable funding and support.”
Operation Order is part of a police-driven initiative called “Safer Calgary” which pairs police officers with peace officers and social agencies.
But experts note “time will tell” if the operation is a success.
“It really comes down to how the Crown prosecutor’s office and the courts respond to this,” said Kelly Sundberg, a criminology professor at Mount-Royal University.
“Are these arrests going to see the inside of a courtroom?”
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