ARTICLES

On July 15, 2019 at approximately 7:20 pm, the Medicine Hat Police Service responded to a residence on Cuyler Road SE following a report of a robbery. The investigation revealed that a male had been assaulted, threatened with bear spray and had a sum of money taken from him. The male sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention.

Resulting from the investigation, two males are being held in custody facing numerous charges including; robbery, possession of a weapon dangerous, obstructing a peace officer and numerous breaches. The names of the accused will be withheld pending the completion of their bail hearings.

All individuals involved in this matter were known to one another and as such there is no further risk to general public safety.

Media Contact:

S/Sgt Jason Graham
Patrol Section
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8461

On July 16, 2019 at approximately 3:30 am, two suspects forced their way into an apartment located on Carswell Road SE, Medicine Hat. One of the suspects produced a knife, made threats toward the residents in the apartment and demanded money. Several personal items were taken from the victims and two of them suffered physical injuries. One attended the hospital, but left prior to obtaining treatment.

The Medicine Hat Police Service Major Crimes Section is continuing the investigation and currently have two offenders in custody. While it is early in the investigation, it is believed that the residence and the individuals inside were specifically targeted, and as such, there is no general public safety risk.

Anyone with information that could assist with this investigation is asked to contact the Medicine Hat Police Service at 403-529-8481 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800 -222-8477 (TIPS).

Media Contact:

S/Sgt. Chad Holt

Major Crimes Section

Medicine Hat Police service

Ph: 403-529-8421

At approximately 12:15 PM on July 9, 2019, a vehicle collided into the front entrance vestibule of a business located in the 300 block of Southridge Dr. Extensive damage occurred to the building and vehicle. A 57-year-old Medicine Hat woman, identified as the driver, has been charged with failing to provide a roadside breath sample and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Media Contact:

Insp Joe West
Medicine Hat Police Service
PH: 403-529-8414

On Tuesday, July 9^th at 9:30am the MHPS Traffic Unit will be conducting an over-dimensional load escort. The escort will be travelling from Bromley Mechanical at 925 23 St SW to west town limits of Redcliff.

Due to the size of the loads, the escort will be required to counter-flow the Trans-Canada Hwy and this will affect traffic along Highway #1 in both the east and westbound lanes, along with parts of Redcliff Dr SW and Gershaw Dr SW. The escort is expected to take approximately one hour to complete so please plan your morning commute accordingly.

The MHPS appreciates the motoring public's cooperation during these escorts and reminds motorists to obey all police officer, pilot vehicle and flag person's directions.

On, July 6^th, 2019, shortly after 8:00 PM Medicine Hat Police responded to a single vehicle collision on Box Springs Rd NW, Medicine Hat. The vehicle was determined to have left the roadway, rolled and stopped after colliding with a power pole. Traffic on Box Springs Rd, was stopped for several hours and diverted as the power pole was in danger of falling. After the power pole was secured by Medicine Hat Electric Utilities, traffic was allowed to resume. The driver suffered minor injuries and was treated at hospital and has since been charged with Impaired Driving, Refusing to provide a blood sample and Dangerous Driving,

The Medicine Hat Police Service conducted a push notification to the public advising of the road closure. For up to date information on similar events please download the MHPS application, available on itunes and android devices.

The Medicine Hat Police Service has located and charged prolific offenders for local vehicle/property thefts. On July 4, 2019, the Medicine Hat Police Service Priority Street Crime Unit and members of the Patrol Section concluded a short duration investigation concerning suspects responsible for the recent stolen vehicle trend in Medicine Hat. During the afternoon of July 4, police located and arrested a suspect in the thefts, 28 year old Travis Seitz of Medicine Hat, on the 1200 block of South Railway St SE, for outstanding arrest warrants. The investigation continued into the evening of July 4, and the MHPS in conjunction with the Redcliff RCMP to locate and arrest 24 year old Raymond Needham and 20 year old Devon Koehle, both of Medicine Hat, for outstanding arrest warrants. Needham and Koehle were located in a residence on the 400 block of 2 St. SE Redcliff, AB. As a result of this investigation, property valued at an estimated $59, 000.00 was recovered, including two stolen trucks and a stolen cargo trailer, and 26 criminal code charges were laid against the three accused.

The MHPS would like to thank the community for their assistance with this investigation and urges people to download and use the MHPS Mobile app to provide tips to the police regarding criminal activities.

The Medicine Hat Police Service By-law Section and Patrol section, continue to clean up areas of the City, where noticeable amounts of waste have been noted by pro-active Patrols and complaints from the Public. On July 4, 2019 members of the Police Service Executive Team attended to the SE hill and observed some of the public concerns including waste materials and temporary shelters. These areas are currently being cleaned and the occupants have been provided access to local social services. The Police Service would like to remind the public that camping on City property is prohibited by By-law as well as littering. 

The Police Service remains committed to ensuring the use of public spaces can be enjoyed by all and will enforce by-laws and provincial regulations as required.  The public is remind to download to MHPS Mobile Application to report any on-going concerns.

Media Release 19-15566 Male captured by K9 contact after fleeing and assaulting police officers

On July 3^rd at approximately 10:00pm police observed a male in the downtown core who was wanted for a previous break-in. When told he was under arrest, the male fled on a bicycle carrying a set of golf clubs. Police followed the suspect who abandoned the bike in front of the library. The male then took a golf club and raised it to an officer in a striking motion. Other officers arriving were confronted by the male who tried to punch an officer in the face.

A physical struggle ensued whereby the suspect tore off part of an officer’s uniform and broke free of the arrest attempt. The K9 unit arrived and PSD Flint was deployed, making positive contact with the suspect. Police then took the male into custody and conveyed him the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital for assessment. While at the hospital the suspect continued to be combative and was spitting at the escorting officer.

The male is known to police and has a history of night-time criminal activity in and around the downtown area.

The male is now in police holdings to await a Judicial Interim Release hearing on the following charges:

• Break & Enter
• Breach of existing release conditions
• Resist arrest
• Assault with a weapon
• Assault Police
• Possession of Stolen Property

This is a great example of those times where directed patrolling in area’s based on crime analytics provided police with an arrest of a male known to victimize this particular region of the city.

During the month of July the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) will be focussing on impaired driving as part of our Strategic Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). During the summer months, we tend to see an increase in the number of alcohol related driving offences. This was no exception in 2018, when the MHPS laid 30 impaired driving charges in July alone. That accounted for over twenty-one percent of our annual impaired driving arrests. Alcohol related collisions also tend to increase through the summer months with thirty-three percent of them in 2018 having occurred in July.

Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) has now been in effect for a little over six months and trends are beginning to show. While our year-to-date criminal impaired driving charges having remained rather consistent compared to recent years, we have seen a rather steep incline in the number of Immediate Roadside Sanctions (IRS) that have been issued to those motorists with a blood alcohol ranging between .05mg% and 0.1mg%. Year-to-date in 2019, the MHPS has issued twenty-six three-day IRS Suspensions to first time offenders, compared to ten last year. Two 15-day IRS suspensions have been issued to second time offenders so far this year. MHPS has also experienced an increase in the number of 30-day suspensions issued to GDL drivers under the Alberta Zero Alcohol Tolerance (AZAT) Program. All IRS and AZAT suspensions carry a 3 or 7-day vehicle seizure.

Another shocking statistic that we have experienced is the number of daytime impaired driving arrests that we have seen since the implementation of Mandatory Alcohol Screening. Since MAS began, 24 of our 68 impaired driving arrests have occurred between the hours of 7am and 7pm. That means that over 35% of those caught for impaired driving were operating during daytime hours when our roadways are at their busiest and the risk to the public is at the highest. Therefore, while our overall impaired numbers have remained consistent with pre-MAS numbers, we are finding that Mandatory Screening is allowing our officers to better detect those who have the ability to mask their impairment.

Throughout July, MHPS will be conducting proactive patrols for alcohol and drug related driving offences and the public should expect to see an increased presence of Check stop’s throughout the city. Our goal is to reduce the frequency of impaired driving and eliminate alcohol and drug related collisions in our community.

In an effort to increase awareness and improve understanding about the process of MAS, the MHPS will be providing opportunities citizens with the opportunity to try the Approved Screening Device during the month of July. Look for the MHPS booth at the Canada Day celebrations in Kin Coulee where officers will have the equipment available.

For more information, please contact:

Sgt. Clarke White
Traffic Unit
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8471

The Municipal Bylaw Enforcement Section of the Medicine Hat Police Service will be focusing on Property Standards for the month of July 2019.

The Municipal Bylaw Enforcement Section would like to remind residents of their responsibilities as tenants and property owners.

Unsightly Property is property that, in the opinion of a Bylaw Enforcement Officer, is detrimental to the surrounding area because of its unsightly condition.

When determining whether property is Unsightly the following factors are considered:

• Uncut grass and weeds.
• Vegetation that interferes with the use or visibility of street signage, sidewalks, road clearance, municipal works or public utilities.
• Wrecked or dismantled vehicles including vehicles that are inoperable and unregistered.
• Storage or accumulation of garbage, litter refuse, dilapidated furniture or appliances, machinery or machinery parts or similar items.
• Specific or general lack of repair or maintenance of the property.
• Location, zoning, use and visibility of the property.

A Bylaw Officer may issue a written Direction to the occupant and owner or an Order to the property owner to improve the appearance of the property in a specified way in a specified time period.  Failing to comply with a direction or order could result in fines of $250 for a first offence and $500 for each subsequent offence, and the City may cause the property to be cleaned up and bill the owner for the costs of the clean-up. To report any concerns, please call the non-emergency line at 403-529-8481.

For more information contact
Supt. Heather Trail
Bylaw Section
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8436