Police and other partner and stakeholder groups are working to alleviate some of the concerns surrounding criminal activity at the old Mike's Motel location. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Chris Brown

Police say progress is being made on reducing criminal activity in Riverside

Jun 15, 2022 | 3:06 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Three weeks after beginning a community policing initiative in Riverside, city police took more steps this week to crack down on crime in the area.

Acting operations Insp. Cory Both says they’re taking a multi-tiered approach to resolving the issues in the area and they are making progress.

“It’s an area that has devolved over a number of years and there’s a number of socio-economic factors that went into that,” he says. “So it’s not going to be solved overnight. So we just ask the community to have some patience, our members need to be patient as well.”

“Resources are going into it, not just from police but various different stakeholders like I said. There is a concerted effort and now it’s just, let time take its place and with the right effort and co-operation we should be able to get it to a manageable level and bring some reprieve to the residents.”

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Adopt-A-Rink program still seeking volunteers

3h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner

Dec 06, 2024

IN THE COMMUNITY

CHAT News producer makes 'emotional' return to Medicine Hat's old arena

Dec 06, 2024

Police previously referred to the area around the old Mike’s Motel as a “hot spot” of criminal activity following their own analysis and a series of online posts.

Members of the police service and other partner groups were at the housing unit this week. Both said it was a pre-emptive patrol to check on nuisance activity, discourage negative behaviour and engage with the community.

He says they also evicted some illegal tenants and more than half of the suites have been boarded up, and they dealt with minor trespassing and property crime issues while in the area.

“Our patrol members have taken on that area as being an area of concern to the community, to themselves and just taking a proactive initiative to sort of deal with the problem on a multi-, multi-level stakeholder engagement,” he said.

Both says AHS, Medicine Hat Fire Services, banks and the landlord are all involved in the effort to resolve the issues.