Clearwater County will be bringing the issue of tackling rural crime to the attention of provincial power brokers this fall.

Council has endorsed a resolution that will be brought to the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) fall convention in Edmonton which reads:

Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) request the Government of Alberta develop and implement further strategies and initiatives to prevent rural crime through additional funding for policing resources in the province, and by expanding policing detachments services back into smaller, rural and remote areas

The resolution mirrors a similar one brought forward by neighboring Lacombe County in 2018 entitled Combatting Rural Crime. 

That resolution sought to address rural crime increases provincially, as both individuals and business had expressed concerns with the continued experience of theft and property crimes:

A council report indicated that though some initiatives from the 2018 resolution have been implemented, including the Rural Crime Action Plan, municipalities in Alberta believe the level of theft-related crimes, and the public safety risks that go along with theft, are still occurring to an extent that rural municipalities deem to be an unacceptable level.

The that end, Lacombe County considered a motion to second the new 2025 resolution from Clearwater County at its Sept. 25 meeting.

The issue of rural crime was brought to the fore in July after two Nordegg residents appeared before council sounding the alarm of a disturbing trend of rising rural crime in the hamlet.

–

RELATED

• • ‘Masked, grown men’ Nordegg residents sound alarm about rising crime

–

Derek Bostock and Eric Smith, two members of the Nordegg Community Association appeared before council raising concerns about “masked, grown men” lurking around the hamlet at night; brazenly stealing ATVs right out of people’s yards.

The members also spoke of 2025 being a year of unprecedented vandalism in the community.

Council approved the motion for a resolution to be forwarded to the RMA central zone for consideration.

The RMA fall conference will converge on the Edmonton Convention Centre Nov. 17-20.