The Calgary Police Service is beefing up its presence near the supervised consumption site in the Beltline as the opioid crisis of recent years has been exacerbated by an escalation in methamphetamine use.
The area surrounding the supervised consumption site at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre, near the intersection of 4 Street and 13 Avenue SW, has been plagued by an upswing in crime and violence.
During Tuesday’s Police Commission meeting, CPS officials said a number of District 1 officers will be redeployed to the area and officer schedules will be altered to ensure there are more members near the health centre during the night. The moves are intended to keep both the neighbourhood residents and drug-users safe and to deter dealers who prey on susceptible addicts.
Business owners in the area says there have been signs of improvement of late but additional support is necessary to address the ongoing issues.
William Lawrence of Shelf Life Book Store says he has spent nearly $10,000 to upgrade the store’s security system and to cover the damages following recent robberies and shoplifting attempts.
Lawyer Brian Edy, who previously served as police commissioner, says supervised consumption sites play a vital role in the community. “Sites like these are invaluable to get people off the streets, off addiction.”
Alberta Health Services says staff at the supervised consumption site have intervened in more than 800 overdoses that would have proven fatal. According to information released during Tuesday's Police Commission meeting, nearly two-thirds of all visits to the consumption site now involve meth.
Despite the Calgary Police Service’s plans to address the problem, some Beltline residents have had enough. “I am moving on the first and I’m moving to a high-rise,” said Mike Macdonald of his plans to relocate several blocks west. “It’s a much nicer neighbourhood.”
With files from CTV’s Jaclyn Brown
