ARTICLES

On June 5, 2021, twenty-two local Grade 6 students received scholarships from the Chief Earl Leadership Legacy Fund. The Fund was established in 2008 to celebrate Chief Earl’s contributions to the community and to honor his memory.

Each year, elementary schools identify students from within the local school districts who have demonstrated the qualities of future leaders based on the four core values of the Medicine Hat Police Service, with an additional focus on leadership and citizenship. Since its inception 187 students have been recognized.

The fund is administered through the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta with sponsorship from the Medicine Hat Safe Community Association and the Medicine Hat Police Association. Parents of the scholarship recipients are encouraged to place the awards into an existing or newly opened Registered Educational Savings Plan.

Congratulations to this year’s recipients:

Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education Recipients: (6)

• Mother Teresa School: Paisley Retzler
• St. Michael’s School: Kate Pagas
• St. Francis Xavier School: Berklyn Bohrn
• St. Louis School: Leigha Pancoast
• Ecole St John Paull II: Inara Merrick
• Notre Dame Academy: Ryleigh Jackiw

Charter/Private School Recipients: (2)

• Ecole Les Cypres: Isabella Ferguson
• CAPE School: Keelyn Pynnaken

Medicine Hat School District No. 76 Recipients: (14)

• Crestwood School: Mylee George
• Ross Glen School: Dominic Hennes
• Connaught School: Morgan Carvalho-Salmon
• Dr Roy Wilson Learning Centre: Dylan Nelson
• Webster Niblock School: Katelyn Sylyski
• Vincent Massey School: Avonley Moore
• River Heights School: Maryn Bennett Bowal
• Herald School: Dainen Johnston
• George Davison School: Claire Colbe
• Elm Street School: Dahlia Green
• Dr Ken Sauer: Keelyn Malbeuf
• Southview School: Larry Joe
• Medicine Hat Christian School: Brody Kurpjuweit
• Hub: Megan Klein

Media Contact:

Sgt Adam Gregory
Community Support Unit
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8451

The Medicine Hat Police Service is aware of concerns circulating on social media regarding a suspicious group of people reported in and around the Ross Glen area of Medicine Hat.

On June 5, 2021 an initial report was received by police and the investigation determined that the individuals in question were canvassing door-to-door for a home security company based in Calgary, AB. The company was contacted and confirmed to have 14 individuals in the area conducting this work. The MHPS is currently working with City of Medicine Hat Planning and Development Services to ensure that the company is compliant with proper business licensing requirements.

As a general reminder, when interacting with door-to-door salespeople, always ask to see identification if it is not readily visible. Never allow a door-to-door sales person into your home or office who does not have, or refuses to show you their identification. You are never under any obligation to allow a salesperson into your home.

Anyone with concerns about the conduct of door-to-door salespeople, can report those concerns to the MHPS at 403-529-8481 or by contacting the Service Alberta’s Consumer Contact Centre at 1-877-427-4088 (toll-free in Alberta) or visit their website at www.servicealberta.ca.

To alleviate community concerns, the MHPS will have extra patrols in this area and remind residents to report any suspicious behaviour by calling 9-1-1 in an emergency or 403-529-8481 for non-emergencies.

Media Contact:

S/Sgt Ryan Thorburn
Patrol Section
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8461

The intersection of Kipling Street and Kingsway Ave SE is now open.  Thank you for your patience.

Traffic Advisory: Police are dealing with a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Kipling Street and Kingsway Avenue SE, as such this intersection is shut down as we deal with the incident.  Please avoid this area and find another route.  

The Medicine Hat Police Service Victim Assistance Unit is seeking volunteers for the following activities:

Crisis Support - Offer emotional and practical support through post-incident follow up including referrals to community agencies.

In-Station Client Support - Provide court updates, information about justice programs and assistance with victims of crime forms.

Court Support - Provide court preparation, orientation and support for witnesses during trials, and update witnesses on court decisions and outcomes.

If you are interested in effecting positive change in the lives of others and would like more information about the required commitment and availability click HERE. 

Click HERE to apply. Applications close June 11th, 2021.

Thank you in advance for your interest!

The Medicine Hat Police Service is pleased to release its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan.

The foundation of the plan is the belief that a diverse and inclusive organization will be stronger, more resilient and responsive to the needs of the community. The plan was developed in consultation with the Medicine Hat Police Commission, based upon input from police service staff and community stakeholder groups. It builds upon the previous MHPS Diversity & Inclusion Plan released to the community in 2017 and reports on activities and training completed to date.

Recognizing that the paradigm shift from “cultural fit” to one of “diversity and inclusion” will require more than well-intentioned policies and programs, the MHPS through this plan commits to clearly defined objectives, actions and deliverables centered around two main themes:

Police Service Delivery: External focus on providing accessible, responsive and responsible policing services to all people in the community.

People and Process: Internal focus on ensuring equitable employment opportunities are available to all employees in an environment that is respectful and free of harassment and discrimination, and that organizational processes and policies represent and support the EDI strategy.

There are currently four public facing and eight internally facing initiatives with action items to be completed over the next two years, the period of time left in current business cycle (2021 -2022). The EDI plan is supplemented by an Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan that provides more specific details in relations to how the MHPS intends to action the calls to police services as identified in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report.

“This action plan is the culmination of past work and recent efforts to understand and put to action deliverables that I believe will increase the inclusiveness of the organization,” says MHPS Chief Mike Worden. “These efforts will improve our ability to provide service excellence to the community, and I commit to leading this plan.”

Both EDI and Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plans are available for review on the MHPS website at mhps.ca. They are intended to be living documents with the website updated as work is completed or new initiatives are identified.

Media Contact:

Rita Sittler
Administrative Services Manager
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8416

The Medicine Hat Police Service in partnership with the Medicine Hat Police Commission is proud to present the 2020 Medicine Hat Police Service Annual Report.

The report includes a review of operational highlights and identifies how the health pandemic impacted police service activities, as well as features key accomplishments in relation to the five strategic priorities of; community safety, community engagement, service delivery, organizational wellness and human resources.

The report also celebrates awards such as; Cst. Taylor Olenic being named as Blue Line Magazine’s inaugural Rookie of the Year, recognizes individuals and teams who received Inspectors compliments throughout the year and pays tribute to Chief Andy McGrogan who retired in December after serving the community for over 40 years.

To view the entire report, visit the MHPS website at: https://mhps.ca/uploads/files/Police_AR_2020_Final_Web.pdf

For more information contact:

Rita Sittler
Administrative Services Manager
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8416

Police are dealing with a multi vehicle collision on Trans Canada Highway at 3 Street NW, as such we are asking that motorists exercise caution when travelling on the highway as the roadway is very icy at this time.

Three Medicine Hat men were recognized with Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) service coins for their role in assisting with a police investigation.

On April 23, 2021, at approximately 7:40 PM MHPS Constable Erica Neigum was attempting to locate and arrest a forty-six-year-old male who was wanted in connection to a domestic violence related incident. Constable Neigum located the male outside of a residence and when she informed him that he was under arrest the suspect fled on foot in the direction of a nearby golf course.

Constable Neigum was observed by a group of golfers as she pursued the male on foot across the fairway. The three men quickly sprang into action and assisted her by utilizing their golf carts to divert the suspect toward a grove of trees. In an attempt to avoid the golfers, the male tripped on the ground and was quickly apprehended by Constable Neigum without further incident or injury.

In recognition of their quick thinking and willingness to assist, Mitch Hallas, Joel Sieben and Kenan Kustra were each presented with a MHPS service coin and certificate of appreciation.

Media Contact:

Rita Sittler
Administrative Services Manager
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8416

National Police Week: Working together to keep our communities safe

May 9, 2021 marked the beginning of National Police Week – a seven-day public awareness campaign that encourages new connections between police and the communities they serve. The theme for 2021 is “Working together to keep our communities safe” and we are celebrating our role and our pride in being an important public safety partner.

Public safety involves a collaborative effort within police agencies and between police services, first responders, as well as social and community organizations. Several professionals are collectively required to manage the risks and impacts to the health and safety of Canadians as a result of crime, natural disasters, mental illness, addiction, etc. Health and safety are essentially built on four pillars: treatment, harm reduction, enforcement, and prevention. Police agencies take pride in their leadership and/or support role for each of these pillars. As frontline first responders, police officers are often the gateway to many community supports. Our goal is always to make that first contact meaningful and to achieve the best possible outcome.

We realize that not all police interactions successfully achieve these goals. We have heard the public demand for police reform. Know that we are listening and that we are constantly adapting, to be more responsive, and to better meet the needs and expectations of the community we serve. The Medicine Hat Police Service is committed to providing more than law enforcement, through a focus on crime prevention and community engagement that reflects true partnerships. The success of our service depends on our ability to create, maintain, and strengthen relationships with various community partners and stakeholders.

“In Medicine Hat we are extremely fortunate to work alongside partners who share our passion and commitment to the health and safety of our residents,” says Chief Mike Worden. “We strive every day to meet the needs of our community and without these connections, we could not properly serve the citizens of our community.

Policing in Canada is dependent on the trust, accountability, and support of the community – these are cornerstones of our profession. This week, we wish to remind the community we serve that the Medicine Hat Police Service is listening, and that we will continue to work with you, the local government as well as various community partners and stakeholders to find opportunities and solutions that work for residents of our community when it comes to public safety. Because diversity and inclusion are our strengths, we are also committed to enhancing our recruitment, hiring and promotion processes to increase the quality of our recruits and accelerate the diversification of our organization so that we can be more representative of, and be more responsive to, the community we serve.

For further information please contact:

Rita Sittler
Administrative Services Manager
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8416