Federal policy change causing increase of drugs: Taber police chief

LETHBRIDGE -

The Taber Police Service is warning residents of the southern Alberta town after two, possibly three, drug overdoses happened recently.

"It is out of the ordinary," said Chief Graham Abela.

"I think anytime we have overdoses in our community, no matter how big or small, these are significant issues."

Police say they are concerned for public safety, but Abela believes the overdoses stem from more than just illegal substances.

"Fentanyl was not a thing, crystal methamphetamine was not a thing in Taber and it's only in the last decade, really, the change in the drug culture has happened and those substances are readily available in southern Alberta," he said.

"What we don't have anymore is the tools to be able to deal with, traditionally, people who possess and are using illicit substances. ... Those have been removed by federal policy and we no longer have the tool of prosecution associated with things that are still illegal."

In November 2022, the federal government passed Bill C-5, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

The law removed mandatory minimum penalties for many drug offences and some firearm offences.

It allows greater use of conditional sentencing and promotes diversion measures in cases of simple drug possession.

Abela says the mandate switched from drug possession being a public safety issue to being a health issue, which has caused frustration for the force.

"We, as Taber police, feel like we're banging our heads against a wall," Abela told CTV News.

"Officers go through a tremendous amount of work to identify drug traffickers, to identify people who are poisoning people in our community, and when we're unable to prosecute, what's the point? That's how they (officers) feel," he said.

"That's not to say we're going to give up. That's not to say we're not going to continue to seize drugs off the street."

The chief says those dealing and supplying the town with drugs know they won't be charged if found with small amounts of drugs.

"Our drug dealers have told us that they know if they walk around our community with small amounts of cocaine or meth and sell small amounts to users, that there's nothing the police can do aside from take the drugs because the Crown isn't going to prosecute it," he said.

Between January and November 2023, Alberta RCMP were called to 1,026 suspected drug overdoses, more than a 100 per cent increase compared to 2022.

Advocates say there needs to be more harm reduction programs available.

"That's the only way we're going to see these numbers go down," said Amber Jensen, Lethbridge's representative with Moms Stop the Harm.

"We need to treat people that use drugs with empathy and respect," she said.

"It helps to reduce the stigma. Especially in rural communities, there's a lot of stigma around drug use which just leads to people not wanting to get help."

Abela says while programs, services and detox facilities are needed, repeat offenders using drugs are endangering the public's safety.

"People are being robbed, people's property is being broken into and items are being stolen to fuel this drug activity and if we don't have the teeth in the system in order to curb some of that, people are going to continue to be victimized," he said.

Taber police are asking family members and those using illegal substances to know they are at significant risk when consuming street drugs.

Tainted drugs can lead to an overdose situation, hospitalization and potentially death.

Abela says until federal policy changes, he doesn't see the issue slowing down.

"Until we get alignment back in place in regards to prosecutions, I think we're going to struggle as communities," he said.