ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14

www.ALERT-AB.ca

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ALERT PARTNERS

The strength of the ALERT model lies in the integration of members from various agencies who have expertise in intelligence, enforcement, and support services.

ALERT was established by the provincial government to bring together the provinces most sophisticated law enforcement resources to combat organized and serious crime.

ALERT operates on the fiscal calendar (April 1 - March 31) and the 2013-14 ALERT Annual Report encapsulates a years worth of accomplishments:

Targeted Enforcement: Since ALERT was formed in 2006, the regional teams have seized more than $500 million worth of drugs. In 2013-14, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit teams took more than $25 million worth of drugs off Alberta streets in addition to 149 firearms. More than 600 offenders were arrested and charged with 2,102 offences - ALERTs highest annual total.

Criminal Intelligence: Nearly 2,000 intelligence bulletins were developed and disseminated by Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta as they continue to act as the centre for strategic analysis in the province.

Internet Child Exploitation: In the past three years, ICE has experienced almost a 25% increase in the number of new cases investigated. This past year the unit handled 554 new cases, which resulted in 325 charges against 75 individuals. The team also rescued a toddler from hands-on abuse, and helped numerous victims of luring.

Threat & Risk Assessment: This year was the busiest on record for I-TRAC with a total of 183 requests from agencies across the province. Late in the year, the team was recognized by Home Front High Risk Management Initiative for their support in combating domestic violence.

Safer Communities & Neighbourhoods: Community Safety Orders were granted eight times in the past year as SCAN addressed problem properties. The number of complaints increased by 43% from the previous year as SCAN made high-profile closures with the shutdown on an Edmonton Alberta Avenue home in February and a Calgary illegal massage parlour in October.

Law Enforcement Training: Provided training to 2,700 candidates, representing law enforcement agencies from across Canada. Alberta Specialized Law Enforcement Training conducted 40 courses, including conferences on Homicide, Central East African criminal networks, and Western Canada Gang and Organized Crime.

Nearly 400 municipal police, RCMP and sheriffs work together in teams to investigate everything from drug trafficking to child exploitation to gang violence.

Since being formed in 2006, ALERT has accomplished:

$516,585,376 - worth of drugs removed from communities across Alberta;

7,418 - people arrested for drug, weapons, and offences against children;

764 - firearms taken out of the hands of criminals.

WELCOMING REMARKS

ALERT GOVERNANCE

ALERT is governed by a civilian board of directors made up of individuals selected from police commissions in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, as well as two individuals representing communities policed by the RCMP and a representative from the Government of Alberta.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Shami Sandhu (Chair), Edmonton Police Commission

Diane Colley-Urquhart, Calgary Police Commission

Liz Iwaskiw, Lethbridge Regional Police Commission

Rolf Traichel, Medicine Hat Police Commission

Donald Johnson, Rural RCMP communities

Bill Given, Urban RCMP communities

Bill Sweeney, Alberta Justice & Solicitor General

On behalf of the ALERT Board of Directors, I am pleased to present the 2013-14 ALERT Annual Report. This report contains a snapshot of ALERTs contributions to public safety over the past year.

ALERT is focused on disrupting and dismantling organized and serious crime, which takes on many forms and has its tentacles rooted in every community in Alberta. Our nearly 400 municipal police, RCMP members, and Sheriffs are strategically placed across the province working on elite teams to target the most serious offenders, including: child sex predators, drug cartels, criminal gang networks, gun traffickers, neighbourhood drug houses, and domestic abusers.

The ALERT policing model allows us to undertake large-scale and complex investigations that affect multiple communities. These results would not be possible without the support of the Alberta Government, specifically the Ministry and Solicitor General, and our partner police agencies: Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Regional Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, RCMP, and Alberta Sheriffs.

However, the criminal landscape in Alberta continues to evolve and become more sophisticated as alliances are shifted to take advantage of opportunities. In the past year ALERT has witnessed growth in the number of outlaw motorcycle gangs, inter-provincial criminal alliances, South American drug distribution channels, and instances of online child exploitation.

ALERT is aware of the challenges that lie ahead. Our teams and partner agencies rely on first-rate intelligence to provide a coordinated and strategic response to serious and organized crime. The results outlined on the following pages speak to the success ALERT has achieved in creating safer communities for all Albertans.

Sincerely,

Shami SandhuBoard of Directors, Chair

2,427charges laid

684persons charged

$4,778,926property seized

$25,412,716drugs seized

29,927cocaine (grams)

258,364marihauna (grams)

14,749marihuana (plants)

149firearms

2013-14 ANNUAL SUMMARY

$1,000,598Wood Buffalo

$638,286Grande Prairie

$5,193,920Edmonton

$202,090

Red Deer

$17,703,883Calgary

$177,150Lethbridge

$496,789Medicine Hat

DRUG SEIZURES BY REGION

CFSEU-EDMONTON uncovered an international auto-theft ring with ties to organized crime. $3 million worth of vehicles were stolen in Quebec and then re-registered in Alberta.

CFSEU-CALGARY a joint investigation with the DEA led to charges against three men accused of operating a cross-border drug-trafficking conspiracy. The arrests followed a $4.5 million cocaine seizure in Las Vegas.

CFSEU-GRANDE PRAIRIE laid almost 100 charges against 22 people following the seizure of two firearms and $70,000 worth of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy.

CFSEU-LETHBRIDGE arrested 21 people in a nine-month investigation. Five search warrants netted 1.8 kilograms of cocaine and 500-plus grams of marihuana.

CFSEU-MEDICINE HAT arrested a corrections officer at the Medicine Hat Remand Centre following allegations he smuggled marihuana to inmates.

CFSEU-RED DEER worked with Service Alberta to lay charges against a man for double-doctoring. The offender obtained multiple prescriptions then sold drugs at street level.

CFSEU-WOOD BUFFALO arrested nine people and laid 83 charges following a drug seizure that also led to the recovery of a handgun with the serial number defaced.

GREEN TEAMS found 1,793 plants in a northwest Calgary marihuana grow-op. In the north, more than 600 plants were found after a fatal hash extraction lab explosion in Evansburg.

SCAN closed a problem property in Grande Prairie and also laid several criminal charges against the property owner. Numerous firearms and 2,500 litres of gasoline were stored improperly on the property.

ICE Three Albertans were arrested as part of a global crackdown on child pornography spearheaded by Toronto Police Service. A total of 341 people were charged worldwide.

INVESTIGATIVE HIGHLIGHTS

2013-14 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11TARGETTED ENFORCEMENT TARGETTED ENFORCEMENTNumber of charges laid 638 614 420 500 2,172 2,013 1,518 2,005

Number of people charged 176 164 159 110 609 572 534 702

Value of seized proceeds of crime $1,999,981 $708,147 $1,353,928 $716,870 $4,778,926 $8,077,298 $3,539,037 $3,652,490

Value of drugs seized $10,333,783 $5,493,624 $4,995,125 $4,590,184 $25,412,716 $55,312,223 $77,462,923 $115,000,000

CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCEIntelligence products developed and disseminated 333 349 346 796 1,824 5,013 4,065 2,004

THREAT & RISK ASSESSMENTS THREAT & RISK ASSESSMENTSNumber of threat risk assessments 48 37 37 61 183 105 154 109

SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS & COMMUNITIES SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS & COMMUNITIESNumber of complaints received 109 147 98 81 436 305 307 345

Number of Community Safety Orders issued 1 2 3 2 8 - - -

Number of complaints resolved 68 106 91 95 357 268 285 158

INTERNET CHILD EXPLOITATION INTERNET CHILD EXPLOITATIONNumber of new cases 127 118 132 177 554 484 449 426

Number of self-generated investigations 6 5 6 19 36 - - -

Number of persons charged 19 15 20 21 75 125 76 97

Number of charges laid 59 72 98 96 325 261 278 341

Number of ICE workshops delivered 5 1 8 6 20 - - -

LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAININGNumber of courses offered 10 7 16 7 40 47 30 27

Number of candidates 892 176 933 699 2,700 2,305 1,602 1,565

Number of ASLET-assisted workshops and courses 14 3 14 7 48 - - -

* blank fields are attributed to performance indicators not being measured in previous years

HISTORICAL COMPARISON

Drugs are the currency of organized crime and gangs. ALERT teams are made up of highly skilled investigators who often conduct long-term, in-depth, undercover operations to remove drugs from our communities.

In the past year more than $25 million worth of drugs was seized as the result of ALERT enforcement activities. The largest drug busts of 2013-14 included an 8 kilogram cocaine in Calgary, and Fort McMurray raid that netted 26 kilograms of marihuana and four kilograms of cocaine.

DRUG SEIZURES VALUEMarihuana (plants) $ 17,967,242

Cocaine (grams) $ 2,992,700

Marihuana (grams) $ 2,583,640

Steroids (tablets & vials) $ 565,003

Methamphetamine (grams) $ 458,850

Heroin (grams) $ 203,200

Prescription Drugs (tablets) $ 154,690

MDMA (grams) $ 119,960

Superbuff (grams) $ 101,925

GHB (ml) $ 32,806

Other $ 232,700

$25MDRUGS SEIZEDFROM COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE PROVINCE

Firearms are used by organized crime, gangs, and drug dealers in their on-going battle over turf, to collect debts, for weapons trafficking, and to commit acts of violence. In the hands of criminals, firearms present a tremendous risk to the safety of Albertans.

Last year ALERT seized a record amount of firearms as result of criminal investigations. Twenty three firearms and 2,000-plus rounds of ammunition were seized from a Stony Plain marihuana grow-op in September. Seven firearms and 200 rounds of ammunition were also seized from the Warlocks outlaw motorcycle club in Drayton Valley.

FIREARM SEIZURES TOTALCFSEU-Calgary 20

CFSEU-Edmonton 85

CFSEU-Fort McMurray 3

CFSEU-Grande Prairie 24

CFSEU-Lethbridge 2

CFSEU-Medicine Hat 7

CFSEU-Red Deer 8

149FIREARMS

REMOVED FROM ALBERTA STREETS

ALERT has two Green Teams investigating grow-ops. Grow-ops pose a number of hazards and risks to neighbourhoods, which include fire, electrical issues, theft of services, structural damage, health and safety concerns, and crime-related violence. Marihuana is often a major source of revenue for organized crime groups.

Last year nearly 15,000 plants worth nearly $18 million was seized. The largest grow-op of the year contained 1,793 plants in a northwest Calgary home. Edmonton, meanwhile, seized $1.5 million in assets from an organized crime group connected to a medical marihuana grow-op.

LARGEST GROW-OPS PLANTS ($)1. Calgary - Northwest (May) 1,793 ($2.2 M)

2. Calgary - Whitehorn (Apr) 1,194 ($1.5 M)

3. Calgary - Hounslow (May) 919 ($1.1 M)

4. Calgary - Foothills Industrial (Dec) 814 ($976 K)

5. Calgary - Harvest Hills (Mar) 743 ($891 K)

6. Evansburg (May) 605 ($756 K)

75GROW-OPSDETECTED & DISMANTLED

Nearly 700 offenders from communities across the province were brought before the courts on charges ranging from drug and weapons offences to child pornography.

ALERT has a dedicated team to investigate internet child exploitation offences. Last year the team arrested 75 offenders while handling 554 new cases. Ten of those arrests came via Operation ICE Storm, a four-month child pornography sting executed across southern Alberta.

In December a 4-year-old Hinton girl was rescued from sexual exploitation and hands-on abuse, and the team helped numerous victims of child luring.

ARRESTS BY REGION #ICE 75

CFSEU-Calgary 64

CFSEU-Edmonton 185

CFSEU-Fort McMurray 58

CFSEU-Grande Prairie 70

CFSEU-Lethbridge 59

CFSEU-Medicine Hat 133

CFSEU-Red Deer 40

684ARRESTSWITH 2,427 CHARGES LAID

ALERT supports law enforcement, government agencies, and other stakeholders by providing specialized training in order to enhance the ability of officers to detect, disrupt, and dismantle organized and serious crime. ALERT serves police agencies from across the province to establish the highest provincial training standards.

In 2013-14, training was provided to 2,700 candidates by way of 40 course offerings, including topics such as source handling, major case management, search warrant drafting, and expert witness testimony.

ALERT also hosted three major conferences that attracted law enforcement professionals Canada-wide:

Homicide Conference in Red Deer; Central East African Criminal Networks

training in Edmonton; Western Canada Organized Crime & Gangs

conference in Edmonton.

2,700CANDIDATESRECEIVED SPECIALIZED TRAINING

ALERTs Integrated Threat & Risk Assessment Centre assesses threats and develops risk reduction plans for domestic violence and stalking cases in Alberta, as well as provides expert advice and training about threat assessment, domestic violence, and stalking to police, government, and community agencies throughout the province.

Last year 183 threat and risk assessments were completed, which are used to protect victims of domestic violence and stalking. The threat assessments are also commonly used in consideration for bail applications and sentencing hearings.

In March 2014, I-TRAC was recognized by the Home Front High Risk Management Initiative for their support in combating domestic violence.

183THREATSASSESSED & COMPLETED

ALERTs enforcement activities are guided by intelligence-led policing. ALERT acts as a central hub for strategic analysis and intelligence sharing on organized and serious crime in Alberta. ALERT links organizations responsible for intelligence gathering, criminal investigations, and provincial and federal law enforcement.

In 2013-14 more than 1,800 intelligence products were developed and distributed by ALERT. These included highly sensitive reports on gang activity, criminal entities, organized motorcycle gangs, provincial threat assessments.

The intelligence contained within these documents, and provided on an on-going basis, provides tactical support to frontline officers and specialized law enforcement units as well as administrative background investigational support.

1,824INTELL DOCSDEVELOPED & DISTRIBUTED

ALERT helps communities take back their neighbourhoods with the Safer Communities & Neighbourhoods team shutting down properties that are regularly used for illegal activities related to drugs, gangs, prostitution, and child exploitation.

SCAN targets properties that are often a drain on police resources. Recently, they closed an Alberta Avenue home in Edmonton that was responsible for over 100 calls for service. Eight Community Safety Orders were granted last year, resulting in 90-day closures. In Calgarys Dover neighbourhood, the team closed an illegal massage parlour.

COMMUNITY SAFETY CLOSURESAlberta Avenue - Edmonton (Feb. 20, 2013)

Forest Lawn - Calgary (Apr. 22, 2014)

Dover - Calgary (Oct. 25, 2013)

Grande Prairie (Jul. 16, 2013)

Montrose - Edmonton (Aug. 8, 2013)

Parkallen - Edmonton (Oct. 10, 2013)

Kilkenny - Edmonton (Dec. 18, 2014)

Mills Estate - Calgary (Feb. 25, 2013)

357RESOLVED COMPLAINTSCONCERNING PROBLEM PROPERTIES

ALERT was established by the provincial government in 2006 to bring together the provinces most sophisticated law enforcement resources to combat organized and serious crime.

Nearly 400 municipal police, RCMP and sheriffs work together in teams to investigate everything from drug trafficking to child exploitation to gang violence.

The strength of the ALERT model lies in the integration of members from various agencies who have expertise in intelligence, enforcement, and support services.

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