Making communities safer

An increase of $74 million in funding to provide safer communities for Albertans will mean more police, prosecutors, and judges, as well as a new initiative to prevent family violence homicides.

Policing

Budget 2006 provides an additional $6.1 million to add up to 80 new RCMP officers. This follows the addition of 130 officers in Budget 2005 to help fight crime in rural communities. With the new positions, Alberta will have more than 1,400 RCMP officers.

Fighting organized crime

Alberta's police officers will also be aided by a 20-member Integrated Response to Organized Crime surveillance team as the province continues to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized crime networks.

A Correctional Services Intelligence Unit will also be established to gather and share information with police on gang member activity in Alberta's correctional facilities.

Funding to fight organized crime has increased by 23 per cent in this year's budget.

Supporting the courts

To shorten lead time to trials and deal with an anticipated rise in cases due to an increase in police resources, an additional $7.9 million will be used to hire Crown prosecutors and other legal staff. Many of the prosecutors will specialize in areas such as:

• child exploitation,
• organized and economic crimes, and
• family violence prosecutions.

Another $10.2 million will be used to appoint new judges, hire front-line court staff, and enhance court operations.

Preventing family violence

To prevent family violence and better support those in need, Budget 2006 will provide:

• Nearly $2 million for an initiative that will better coordinate police, legal, mental health, and other experts to assess threats, manage victim safety, and find ways to prevent domestic homicides.
• A $1.1 million boost to increase the supports that help Albertans who have been in abusive situations make a fresh start.
• A $1 million increase to support community programs for family violence victims and to ensure emergency support and accommodation continues to be available to those escaping family violence.

Other initiatives

• An additional $1.7 million for the Integrated Child Exploitation Unit to help catch online predators that use the Internet to sexually exploit and victimize children.
• An additional $4.6 million to add new traffic safety enforcement positions as part of the province's Traffic Safety Plan to go after aggressive drivers and speeders who put the lives of other motorists at risk.