Alberta RCMP prepared to protect Albertans and their properties during Wildfire Season

The Alberta RCMP understand that the protection of your property is second only to the protection of your loved ones.

The 2023 Wildfire Season had no credible reports of looting, with below average instances of break and enters and trespassing.

The Alberta RCMP will employ a number of policing strategies to enhance the safety and security of evacuated communities during the wildfires:

Perimeter Control: By maintaining tight access control into an evacuated community, the Alberta RCMP can easily ascertain who’s authorized to work in a specific area and who might be unlawfully in the community.

Roving Patrols: With the perimeter secured, marked police car patrols will regularly move through your community actively looking for signs of criminal activities, as well as individuals who are not authorized to be in the evacuated area. To enhance patrolling ability throughout the night, advanced optical and night vision technology mounted on our Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (drones) are being utilized to identify and accurately pinpoint any suspicious activity in your evacuated community.

Quick Response Teams: Special Tactical Operations and Emergency Response Teams are in place to rapidly react to any incidents in your community. These members are specially trained officers equipped to deal with the most sensitive and dangerous situations.

Investigative Teams: Experienced investigators will analyze and examine reports of suspicious activity and individuals. Our investigators will conduct targeted investigations of priority offenders, criminal hot spots and utilize both overt and covert techniques to actively suppress crime and arrest those looking to take advantage of the evacuation.

Crime Reduction Techniques: Various Crime Reduction equipment and strategies are being implemented within and around the evacuated areas. “Bait” vehicles and equipment for the most opportunistic offenders are being utilized to catch criminals in the act. Specialized Crime Reduction teams utilize covert crime detection and overt crime suppression strategies focusing on the most priority offenders who are causing the most harm to our communities.

Evacuations: In the event of evacuations, your local RCMP officers are committed to keeping communities that have been evacuated safe and secure. Please help us to keep everyone safe by listening to the advice from local authorities and staying away from evacuated areas until you have been cleared to return.

Given how little time some residents have to prepare during an evacuation, Albertans are urged to keep their property secure, and less of a target to thieves, at all times. The Alberta RCMP have a series of videos outlining some very basic and effective advice to protect your property: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcKXZtPXANcruAdyWOrXnHqQ3DdG_hcd7

For the most up-to-date and accurate information as to the status of your community, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/emergency or phone toll-free 310-4455.

Fraser Logan
Alberta RCMP