By Scott Roblin

MHPS pleased with arrest warrant changes

Apr 26, 2017 | 5:13 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Changes to arrest warrants are coming, as the province to clear the backlog affected the Alberta legal system.

Beginning May 1, the province will eliminate the need for arrest warrants for minor, non-traffic related infractions such as failing to shovel sidewalks and unpaid transit fees.

Jail time for these offences will be taken off the table, with many being solved through civil proceedings instead of court.

Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Kathleen Ganley said this change will make it easier for those who are unable to pay their fines.

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“We will actually get more of these tickets paid, so it’s good in that way,” said Ganley. “But, it also creates a circumstance in which people who are extremely disadvantaged will not be finding themselves in jail for failing to pay these warrants.”

It’s estimated that around 200,000 outstanding warrants are still in effect in Alberta, with about 45% of those for these minor bylaw infractions.

Medicine Hat Police Chief Andy McGrogan said he’s completely on board with the changes.

“Medicine Hat is I think, for the most part, quite isolated from the problems that are occurring in some of the bigger centres, but it is an issue,” said McGrogan. “So, I think I support what the government is doing. I think eliminating warrants and some of the pressure off the courts is a good thing.”

Another announcement by the government was the introduction of an e-ticketing program, which will allow officers to file tickets to courthouses with the touch of a finger.

And, that’s a program Medicine Hat Police have been looking into for a number of months.

Inspector Tim McGough said they have a pair of apps that are currently in development.

“The first one is an in-house solution, built by our IT manager and that is for parking tickets within the community,” said McGough. “The second one is still in the research phase, which is to do with e-ticketing when it comes to your routine speeding ticket.”

Officers will be able to use GPS to send their location to the app, along with entering information on the vehicle and printing off the tickets on site with a mobile printer.

McGough added the new measures aren’t just for officers, as they’re streamlining their ticket appeals process.

“Right now, essentially they have to come down to the station, fill out an appeal form which goes to the traffic sergeant, he reviews it and gets back to them,” he stated. “This way they can do it from the comfort of their own home, they can go online.”

Medicine Hat Police estimate the parking ticket app will be up and running by next month, while the speeding app will hopefully be in rotation by the end of 2017.