About ALERT

Bringing together Alberta’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources, Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) was established by the Government of Alberta in 2006 to combat organized and serious crime. More than 300 municipal police and RCMP officers work together in teams to investigate everything from drug trafficking to child exploitation to gang violence. The goal is to create even safer communities for all Albertans.

The strength of the ALERT model lies in the integration of members from various police agencies who have expertise in intelligence, enforcement and support services. This co-operative approach to policing has proven to be an extremely successful model, especially as the criminal landscape evolves and pushes beyond local and regional boundaries.

Funding for ALERT, including the cost of policing resources, is provided primarily by the Government of Alberta, with significant contributions from the Government of Canada. Partner police agencies contribute a number of positions to the model at their own expense.

+ TEAMS

ORGANIZED CRIME AND GANG TEAMS: ALERT’s organized crime and gang teams are headquartered in seven cities across Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer). They investigate, disrupt and dismantle organized and serious crime in both urban and rural areas, including drug trafficking and gang activity.

INTERNET CHILD EXPLOITATION UNIT: The Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit investigates the sexual exploitation of children via the Internet and work to reduce harm and protect children through public education and prevention programs.

CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE ALBERTA: Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta (CISA) acts as a central hub for strategic analysis and intelligence sharing on serious and organized crime in Alberta.

ALBERTA SPECIALIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING: Alberta Specialized Law Enforcement Training (ASLET) supports police, government agencies and other stakeholders by providing specialized training to enhance the ability of officers to detect, disrupt and dismantle organized and serious crime in Alberta.

+ BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ALERT is governed by a Board of Directors that is responsible for the high-level strategic direction. ALERT’s Board of Directors is represented by the Alberta Associations of Chiefs of Police Directors and the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Justice and Solicitor General.

Current members of the ALERT Board of Directors include:

Chief Graham Abela, Taber Police Service
Chief Keith Blake, Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service
Chief Lorne Blumhagen, Lacombe Police Service
Chief Dale Cox, Lakeshore Regional Police Service
Chief Dean LaGrange, Camrose Police Service
Chief Dale McFee, Edmonton Police Service
Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh, Lethbridge Police Service
Chief Kyle Melting Tallow, Blood Tribe Police Service
Chief Mark Neufeld, Calgary Police Service
Chief Lee Newton, Alberta Sheriffs
Chief Mike Worden, Medicine Hat Police Service
Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki, RCMP K-Division
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister Bill Sweeney, Alberta Justice and Solicitor General

+ CIVILIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

ALERT’s Civilian Advisory Committee was created in April 2018 to provide an enhanced opportunity for community engagement and stakeholder relations, as it relates to ALERT’s role in providing public safety. It is comprised of representatives from the Alberta Association of Police Governance, the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and the Rural Municipalities of Alberta.

Current members of the ALERT Civilian Advisory Committee include:

Chair: Bill Given – Mayor of Grande Prairie
Co-Chair: Janet-Sue Hamilton – Edmonton Police Commission
Christopher Clark – Lac La Biche Protective Services
Marilyn North Peigan – Calgary Police Commission
Paul Goranson – Red Deer Protective Services
Violet Megunis – Tsuut’ina Police Commission
Diane Piche – Director of Corporate Services, City of Lacombe
Tom Pickard – Whitecourt Protective Services
Kara Westerlund – Brazeau County Councillor

+ CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Superintendent Dwayne Lakusta was appointed ALERT Chief Executive Officer in August 2019.

Lakusta is a 24-year member of the Edmonton Police Service. He previously led the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement (EDGE) unit, and also previously worked as an undercover operator on drug investigations across Alberta.

A native of Fort Saskatchewan, Lakusta had worked in a variety of specialized units within EPS, most notably homicide, professional standards, Project Kare, and as officer in charge of West Division.

ALERT is mandated to address organized and serious crime across Alberta, with regional offices located in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Red Deer. Lakusta supervises specialized teams that work in organized crime and gangs, internet child exploitation, criminal intelligence, and law enforcement training.

+ PARTNERS