New ALERT team combats organized and serious crime in Red Deer area

New ALERT team combats organized and serious crime in Red Deer area

May 16, 2013

 

Red Deer…The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) is introducing its newest organized and serious crime unit in Red Deer.

The Red Deer Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) has been established through funding from ALERT and the municipality. It includes RCMP members who work together to investigate serious crime, such as drug trafficking networks, gang activity, and marihuana grow operations. The team will target street-level gang activity, as well as probe larger organized crime groups both inside and outside Alberta’s borders.

With the majority of officers now in place and a new office to house the team, CFSEU-Red Deer is ramping up its efforts to crack down on organized crime in the area.

“Integrated policing allows us to better leverage our resources across the province to tackle organized and serious crime,” explained CFSEU-Red Deer’s Sgt. Gerald Ouellet. “Like all communities across Alberta, Red Deer is impacted by this kind of criminal activity, and we are eager to play a part in further enhancing safety in this region.”

Since ALERT’s inception in 2006, it has set up CFSEUs in Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge. These teams include municipal police, RCMP and sheriffs who work together across all jurisdictions. They lead investigations, as well as provide support to policing partners investigating organized and serious crime.

“Organized crime knows no boundaries,” continued Sgt. Ouellet. “That is why it’s essential to work with law enforcement across Alberta and outside our borders on these often long-term, complex investigations.”

Residents who have information related to organized and serious crime are encouraged to contact the local RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

CFSEU-Red Deer is an ALERT team jointly funded by the province and municipality to bring together Alberta’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources to tackle serious and organized crime. Over 400 municipal police, RCMP and sheriffs work for ALERT.

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Media inquiries may be directed to:
Sgt. Gerald Ouellet
CFSEU-Red Deer
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT)
403-406-2490

Jill Baird
Communications
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT)
780-690-1839