Investigators searched a property in the 900 Block of 17th St. W. related to a homicide investigation in May. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By paNOW Staff

Community Safety

Prince Albert Police Service continues to respond to violent crimes

Jul 7, 2021 | 1:30 PM

Following several reports involving firearms and a tragic six homicides in 2021, the Prince Albert Police Service is continuing to work to address and respond to incidents of violent crime in the community.

The police service has responded to 22,150 calls for service this year to the end of June 2021. This is a decrease of .57 per cent from the same time frame in 2020. The number of incidents involving violent crime is 560, a 5.41 per cent decrease from 592 in 2020 during the same time frame.

The majority of calls involving violent crime involved physical force (226), knives (68), and threats of violence (49). Police have responded to 36 incidents involving a firearm and 34 involving bear spray.

Prince Albert Police Chief Jonathan Bergen offers his condolences to those who have lost family members and those who have been injured due to recent violent crimes.

“Tragically, numerous families have been faced with pain and loss as a result of violence in our community,” Chief Bergen said in a media release. “In many of these cases, the incidents are the result of gang activity, and the victims and suspects are known to each other and known to police. These incidents put everyone in our community at risk and the police service continues to focus on ways to proactively address crime and prevent violence to help keep residents safe.

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“Our community continues to be challenged by a higher number of firearms, drugs, violence and property crime,” Bergen added. “Our police members also continue to respond to a high number of calls for service involving residents struggling with mental health crises, addictions, and other concerns often driven by poverty.”

The police service continues to use a multi-level approach to address illegal gang and gun activity in the city.

Members with the Crime Reduction Team (CRT), Street Enforcement Team (SET), and Prince Albert Integrated Intelligence Unit (PAIIU), work closely to target gang violence and related drug, weapons and property crime.

The police service is also moving forward on plans for a multi-year proactive policing strategy, which includes the addition of four more members on patrol to compliment work being done in other targeted enforcement units such as the Community Policing Unit, Criminal Investigations Division (CID), Child Protection, Police and Crisis Team (PACT), and Community Safety Officers (CSO).

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: princealbertNOW

by paNOW Staff

Prince Albert Police Service continues to respond to violent crimes

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