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Clive residents are law-abiding people, says community peace officer

By: Stu Salkeld, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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(Stu Salkeld Local Journalism Initiative East Central Alberta Review)

By: Stu Salkeld, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

East Central Alberta Review

The Village of Clive has few problems with provincial statute and bylaw enforcement, reported the municipality’s community peace officer (CPO) at the April 25 regular meeting of council.

CPO Mark Sproule appeared before council in person to give an overview of enforcement activities in 2021.

Sproule is in charge of the Lacombe County peace officer program, which is contracted to handle provincial statute and bylaw enforcement for the Village of Clive.

In his report Sproule noted CPO’s investigated 12 occurrences in 2021, issued 39 warnings and wrote five tickets. He pointed out that of those five tickets, four of them were for unregistered motor vehicles, which shows Clive residents tend to follow the community bylaws.

He also pointed out CPO’s prefer to educate rather than enforce, so most of the time they issue warnings for things like uncut grass or snow-covered sidewalks. Only if the warnings aren’t heeded are tickets considered.

“Officers continue to provide information on municipal bylaws and remind residents throughout the year regarding the parking of trailers, parking time limits (72 hours), trimming of grass and the clearing of sidewalks,” stated Sproule’s report. “In 2021 there were eight bylaw complaints and 26 warnings issued for bylaw related offences.”

“Peace officers engaged local enforcement partners throughout the year, delivering check stops aimed at crime reduction through traffic safety,” stated Sproule in his report to council. “Our officers work closely with Blackfalds RCMP and other enforcement stakeholders communicating on areas of concern to the community.”

Sproule also reported his department coped with a staffing shortage in 2021, with a temporary officer being hired. He reported to councillors Lacombe County has hired a new CPO who starts work May 9. Councillors accepted his report as information.

RCMP report

Village Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Carla Kenney presented councillors with the Blackfalds RCMP Jan. to March, 2022 crime stats for the Clive region.

Mayor Lucy Henry noted that it seems most crime categories in the Clive area saw a drop in incidents but the few increases that occurred seemed to be in serious categories.

The data showed seven assaults had been reported and one sexual assault.

Overall, criminal code offences increased eight per cent over the same time period last year.

Councillors unanimously accepted the report as information.

Fire department

Councillors read the Clive Fire Department’s 2022 first quarter report; among the data was the note that Clive’s department had 43 staff hours spent on mutual aid to Alix and 77 hours spent on motor vehicle collisions in Lacombe County.

Mayor Henry observed the Clive Department appears to be helping out a lot of communities.

Complaints

Kenney, in her report to council, noted the village received a land use bylaw complaint and an unsightly premises complaint from the same person and those are being investigated.

Also, the village received dog complaints from neighbours on Fox Drive. Kenney stated both neighbours were told that all Clive residents have to follow the animal control bylaw.

The CAO noted during the public works report the Hwy. #12/21 Water Commission pipeline has been delayed to late in June. She stated it might help the village anyway because it will give staff more time to complete Alberta Environment requirements before Clive is hooked up to the water pipeline.