Far too often, police services in Alberta issue bulletins about the release of offenders who are at a high risk to reoffend. Just as often, there are news stories about Albertans being victimized by offenders who should not have been released. Under the proposed Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, individuals subject to a court-ordered electronic monitoring condition would be required to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking device on their ankle. This device would be monitored 24/7 by a centralized monitoring unit within Alberta Correctional Services.
Ankle bracelet electronic monitoring would protect Albertans and communities by helping to secure offender-restricted areas, such as victims’ residences, places of employment, or any other area deemed off-limits as part of an individual’s bail or community-release conditions. The Alberta government is taking an important step towards combatting crime, creating safer streets and neighbourhoods, and protecting communities, Ankle bracelet monitoring is another tool for courts to hold high risk and repeat offenders accountable for their actions while out on bail.
Public safety and policing needs have evolved in the province. Sheriffs play a vital role in working with police to support safer communities. The Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 updates current policing legislation to establish a new organization that would work alongside police services across the province. Officers in the new agency will take on responsibility for police-like functions currently carried out by the Alberta Sheriffs. These changes will improve the government’s ability to respond to communities’ requests for additional law enforcement support through a new agency that can operate seamlessly alongside local police in the policing environment. The new agency would be operationally independent from the government, as all Alberta’s police services are now.
Please contact my office should you have constituency related concerns that you would like to bring to my attention.
Mike Ellis MLA, Calgary-West
MLA – Calgary West Mike Ellis proudly serves the following Communities: Aspen Estates, Aspen Woods, Christie Park, Discovery Ridge, Signal Hill, Springbank Hill, Strathcona
