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(Image Credit: Gov't of Alberta YouTube)
RCMP, ALERT, plus Calgary and Edmonton Police

Alberta invests $8 million to tackle organized crime

May 28, 2026 | 3:23 PM

The Government of Alberta and Alberta RCMP announced Thursday that they are strengthening the fight against organized crime.

The government is investing $8 million, officials said in a news conference, to also tackle extortion and gang activity in all corners of Alberta.

“This targeted investment gives law enforcement the tools and resources they need to take down criminal networks,” said Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services.

“Organized crime doesn’t stop at city limits, and neither does our work. This funding ensures police forces across Alberta can stay ahead of evolving threats and respond quickly and decisively to keep families and communities safe.”

The $8 million will go to Edmonton Police, Calgary Police, Alberta RCMP, and the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).

The funding will also enhance law enforcement efforts to stop extortion targeting members of the South Asian business community in Alberta’s two largest cities.

“This funding represents a significant investment in strengthening Alberta’s response to organized crime and gang activity. It allows the Alberta RCMP to build on our existing cooperation across agencies and jurisdictions, to respond to crime in a more coordinated, modern and effective way,” said Trevor Darouz, deputy commissioner, Alberta RCMP.

Funding allocations include:

  • ALERT: $1,505,000
  • Alberta RCMP: $2,000,000
  • Calgary Police Service: $2,240,535
  • Edmonton Police Service: $2,245,550

According to an RCMP news release, their allotment will help equip members with modern investigative tools and specialized resources, including advanced surveillance technology, intelligence capabilities, and digital forensic equipment to tackle increasingly complex criminal networks.

Alberta RCMP will also allocate some of its funding to establishing a new Rural Organized Crime Team (ROCT), a mobile unit made of a core group of officers focused on gang activity and violence linked to drug and firearm offences.

In 2025, there were 490 shootings across Alberta, with one-third resulting in serious injury or death. The most prolific firearm-related offenders are organized crime groups, RCMP say.