VIDEO: Police net 4 in crackdown on ‘johns’

Four men have been arrested in the most recent crackdown on ‘johns’ in Prince Albert.

Prince Albert Police conducted their latest enforcement operation on Thursday, and was the second of two operations targeting ‘johns’. In the September operation, five men were arrested. All nine men were charged with communicating for the purposes of obtaining the sexual services of a prostitute.

“It’s an issue that we deal with here in our community … we do receive complaints with regards to solicitation and this is just one way of responding to that. Just enforcement initiatives like these,” said Sgt. Brandon Mudry on Monday.

Although the laws governing offering sexual services as a prostitute have been deemed unconstitutional, consumers – or ‘johns’ – can still be charged and their vehicle could be impounded if they use one while committing this offense.

Complaints have come in from prostitutes themselves and the ‘johns’ vehicles have impeded normal vehicle traffic when they stop to communicate with the prostitutes, according to Mudry.

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Police are promising future operations targeting ‘johns’.

“We do enforce and will continue to enforce that,” Mudry said.

Update on the search for Tim Charlette

A weekend search for evidence leading to the whereabouts of a missing Prince Albert man did not locate him.

On Saturday, members of the Prince Albert North Search and Rescue team searched the banks along the North Saskatchewan River. Members met with a police investigator before starting the search.

According to Mudry, aircrafts have been used in the search for Charlette and the search has extended beyond city limits.

“The focus still, as far as I understand it from investigators, is the river, the North Saskatchewan River… It has taken them beyond that. We continue to follow tips up, our tips that have been incoming from the public.”

Charlette was reported missing on Oct. 11, and was last seen on Oct. 8 near the train bridge. Police believe he was with Beatrice Adam, whose body was discovered by kayakers on Oct. 12.

The weather makes the search difficult with the snow covering any evidence that could lead to Charlette being found, Mudry said.

He said there have been tips incoming. Anyone with information that could lead to locating Charlette can contact the Prince Albert Police or Crime Stoppers.

Young girls face charges after weekend B&E

Three teenaged girls are now facing charges in connection to a break and enter on Sunday morning.

Officers were sent out to a reported break and enter in progress at about 6 a.m. after a resident in the 300 block of 12th Street West was awoken by a loud bang and called the police.

According to police, the house next door to the person who lodged the complaint was known to be vacant and was undergoing renovations. The lights were on in the vacant house.

Police surrounding the house asked the suspects to exit the building, but they didn’t leave. Officers then entered the home and three girls were arrested.

The girls face charges of break, enter with intent and were released in front of a justice of the peace. They are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 17.

Restorative justice conference

The Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) Urban Alternative Measures Program will be hosting the “Justice, Healing and Forgiveness” restorative justice conference on Nov. 17 at the Ches Leach Lounge in the Art Hauser Centre.

The keynote speaker will be Shannon Moroney, author of Through the Glass, who is also a national restorative justice advocate. Other guest speakers will include Provincial Court judge Earl Kalenith, Prince Albert Police Chief Troy Cooper and Shawna Bear with Saskatchewan Justice.

Lissa Dessureault with the PAGC Urban Alternative Measures Program said Moroney will discuss her husband’s arrest, trial and sentencing and offer the viewpoint of an offender’s spouse.

Dessureault described restorative justice as a process that doesn’t go through the court system, in which offenders are diverted out of court and dealing with their charges in the community instead.

Anyone wishing to register for the conference can call 306-953-7254.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames