M.D. of Taber Regional Community Peace Officer Program
4900B 50th Street Taber, AB, Canada

**FOUND DOG** Dog found in the area of Range Road 17-4 and Township Road 13-2 on January 30th, 2021. **PLEASE SHARE** Anyone with information can contact us by email: [email protected]

Did you know that today is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day? January 9th has been set aside to remember the work that Police, Peace Officers and other Law Enforcement do to protect and serve their communities. This year, on this day, I want to say it was no different than last year. Yet, it was different Today, Peace Officer, Acting Sergeant Dana Butler, along side current and past Law Enforcement members. Stood silently remembering Calgary Police Services Officer..., Sgt Andrew Harnett, killed in the line of duty, a short time ago on December 31st, 2020. Municipal District of Taber Community Peace Officers extends their sincere condolences to the Harmett family and our brothers and sisters in the Law Enforcement Community across Canada. In the Municipal District of Taber we are protected by the fine officers of the Taber/Vauxhall Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the police force of choice and jurisdiction for most of Alberta. Community Peace Officers also assist in serving our hamlets and rural residents by dealing with urgent calls for service, investigating municipal complaints and keeping roadways safe throughout the district. Peace Officers are dispatched by emergency communicators at Taber Police Service - who proudly and professionally serve the Town of Taber, and have done so for over 100 years! So many other agencies exist in Southern Alberta that keep us safe; Sheriffs, Commercial Vehicle, Fish & Wildlife, Alberta Peace Officers, Conservation Officers, Park Canada Officers, Rail Police and Military Police. When you look outside, or on Facebook today, and you see the slippery roads or reports of crime, know that officers from all across the area, are working hard day and night to keep you safe. Stay safe. #HerosInLife

Our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the Calgary Police Services Member - Sgt. Andrew Harnett. MD of Taber Regional Enforcement Services Peace Officers stand in solidarity with the Law Enforcement Officers and Albertans. Our thoughts are with you during this tragic time. Like other Law Enforcement Agencies, our Officers will be wearing the Peace Officer Memorial service ribbon to show our support to his family, friends, and colleagues, as well al...l of our brothers and sisters in law enforcement across Canada. #heroesinlife #WeWillRemember

##### UPDATE ##### The suspects have turned themselves into the Calgary Police Services today. #################... For immediate release - Calgary Police Services, family, friends and the community needs your help. Call the tip line or even text the tip line. Do not approach these individuals. Read the post from Calgary Police Services below which includes how to submit a tip, vehicle description and the name of the suspects with their photo.

CAUTION - MOOSE IN THE MD PARK Please be advised a female moose with 2 calves have been spotted in the MD of Taber campground and has shown aggression towards park visitors while walking. From a distance, moose are great to look at, but like all wild animals, moose are very unpredictable. To keep the public safe we ask all visitors to stay on open walking trails, keep all dogs on a leash while visiting the park, and to be alert at all times.

ASSIST OTHER AGENCY - Town Fire When a well-wisher dropped off coffee this morning at the MD of Taber Peace Officer Station, and said it was for the "firefighters at the house fire", CPO1 Butler knew they had confused the MD for the Town. None the less, he attended the fire scene and, after checking in with the Incident Commander, delivered the needed coffee to the Taber Fire Department and Taber Police Service. ... Thank you to all our emergency services workers for all they do over the holidays, and thank you to the donator of the coffee - it was needed. #sameteam

SNOWFALL WARNING - Environment Canada "It's getting to look like Christmas", well it will with the forecast this afternoon. So, if you or a family member ordered snow for the holidays - looks like Santa is granting your wish early. Estimated snowfall in the M.D. of Taber Region is between 15 and 25 cm, starting around noon today. Drive carefully on your way home this evening.... With the snow and festive atmosphere that it'll bring to our communities, maybe it's time to kick-off the Christmas holidays in tradtional style - with Die Hard. It isn't Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from the Nakatomi building. Stay Safe.

INTER-AGENCY CO-OPERATION - MD Fire Service Peace Officers of the M.D. of Taber would like to take this moment to bid farewell to Regional Fire Chief Brian Schafer. Chief Schafer not only served as the Fire Chief for all 6 Fire Districts within the Region, he also served as the Director of Emergency Management, coordinating responses for such disasters as our 2018 Spring Floods and COVID19. ... Each Peace Officer, at one point, served under Chief Schafer as dual-responder firefighters, and we wish him good luck in his new position in Saskatchewan.

UNUSUAL CASE FILE - Zombie Canada Goose It's been awhile since we've posted from our "Unusual Case Files", and after a few weeks of depressing news locally and especially concerning COVID19, maybe it's time for some odd humour. Reviewing case files this past week, Sgt. Hughes came across an interesting report from a resident about "a large Canadian Goose in the middle of the Range Road" the caller stated that it appeared that the animal was deceased, it's wings spanning a goo...d portion of the road widths, and with the sun setting so early, the caller was concerned it would be a traffic hazard. A CPO was dispatched to investigate and remedy the situation. Upon arrival, the Peace Officer noted the large goose was laying on the roadway, wings extended and legs up in the air. Motionless. It appeared that the animal had been struck by a vehicle. The Peace Officer returned to his Echo unit, donned a pair of work gloves and retrieved a large plastic bag. The sun was setting and the road was getting dark, so the Peace Officer activated his emergency lighting to warn on-coming traffic to slow down. As the Peace Officer approached the goose, the red and blue lights flickering, illuminating the scene like in a horror movie, the animal suddenly flipped itself over, flapped it's wings and hissed at the Officer! The Officer fell backwards surprised by the re-animation of the supposedly dead bird. The giant monster snapped it's beak a few times before fluttering backwards and taking off into the darkness with only the eerie crackle of it's wings beating against the sky to be heard. Why the giant goose decided to take a long nap in the middle of a Range Road is unknown, maybe it was tired from a long flight? Or maybe - it was a zombie Goose sent from the depths of Hell! The way 2020 is going... we've declared it the latter and marked the file as "unusual". Have a good day, wash your hands, wear a mask and WATCH OUT for Zombie Geese. #unusual

PROVINCIAL ENFORCEMENT - Distracted Driving A sad loss for Johnson Farms over the weekend when their large barn full of Timothy crop was destroyed by fire. The pile is still burning creating some visible smoke which is being monitored by the property owners on-site. M.D. Peace Officers have received a few calls regarding vehicles driving by the site with their cellphone cameras out trying to record or take photos of the fire. Please don't do this. Driving while distracted is... a huge unnecessary risk. We don't want to compound one tragedy with another tragedy. If you want to see photos of the fire, please go to Johnson Taber Corn & Potatoes or the M.D. of Taber Regional Fire Facebook pages. Expect to see Peace Officers patrolling this area. Nothing is less festive than a violation ticket for "utilizing a cellular device while operating a motor vehicle". With the holiday season approaching, remember, keep your eyes on the road.

LINE OF DUTY DEATH - Ontario Provincial Police Our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Constable Marc Hovingh. MD of Taber Peace Officers stand in solidarity with the law enforcement officers in Ontario. Our thoughts are with you during this tragic time. Marc Hovingh was a 28 year veteran police officer of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who was shot and killed yesterday, November 19th 2020, in the line of duty.... Like other law enforcement agencies, today, our officers will be wearing the Peace Officer Memorial service ribbon to show our support to his family, friends, and colleagues, as well all of our brothers and sisters in law enforcement across Canada. #heroesinlife

CRIME PREVENTION - Rural Crime Watch With winter setting in (sorry to say), take a moment and walk around your property. Do you have all the serial numbers for items? Do you have a list of valuables you could submit to the police if a theft occurred? Rural Crime Watch is an important part of our rural crime reduction strategy. Consider joining and help keep our communities safe. ... https://www.facebook.com/South-Central-Alberta-Rural-Crime-Watch-Association-102589098174858

JOINT FORCE OPERATION - Village of Barnwell The MD of Taber Peace Officer Program currently provides services to the Village of Barnwell on a contract basis. Part of the mandate provided to the Regional Enforcement Service is to ensure the safety of pedestrians crossing Heritage Road and Old Highway #3 towards the Barnwell School. Yesterday, Peace Officers teamed up with CP Rail Police and Alberta Sheriffs to conduct some education and enforcement along the CP Rail Crossing ...and the crosswalks. Remember, children are excited to go to, and leave school, every day! Pay attention to them and help keep them safe.

REMEMBRANCE DAY - 2020 On the 11th hour today, MD of Taber representatives paid respects to our fallen and veterans from our military conflicts. Reeve Merrill Harris and Sgt. Kirk Hughes, OStJ CD were at the Taber cenotaph, along with dignitaries from the Legion, Town of Taber, Village of Barnwell, Taber Police and Fire amongst other community groups. ... A wreath was laid on behalf of the citizens of the MD of Taber by Reeve Harris. Lest We Forget

PROVINCIAL ENFORCEMENT - Hamlet Speeding and Trespassing on CP Property Responding to complaints from our MD Service Tracker App, Peace Officers have teamed up with CP Rail Police to conduct education and enforcement activities in our hamlets, especially around railroad crossings. Speeds, failing to stop or yield at controlled intersections and trespassing on CP Rail Property. These types of violations pose a safety concern to area residents and children that walk to school. Please slow down in our hamlets and respect the crossings of rail tracks on CP Rail Property.

INTERAGENCY CO-OPERATION - Regional Concept If you've been reading the Taber Times, a recent article about the M.D. of Taber Peace Officer Program working with Taber Police Communications may have caught your eye. With the Provincial transition over to electronic ticketing slated for 2021 plus the adoption of recommendations from the "Lazenby Inquiry", the M.D. of Taber Peace Officer Program, lead by Taber Police, have been working on an initiative aimed a Peace Officers alo...ng our neighboring borders. The purpose: increase communication, improve officer safety and streamline processes to enhance service. Soon, an integrated model will allow Peace Officers from several agencies, including; the M.D. of Taber, Ridge Regional and Lethbridge County (to name a few) to utilize the same talk channel, have real-time access to the professional dispatch services of Taber Police, be monitored, tracked and have access to Sergeants and other agency specialist when required. A format that will raise the level of service for all partners. A regional concept is one of many initiatives that the M.D. of Taber Peace Officer Program is working on to serve our communities better. For more information about this project, or any other service, please contact us via service tracker, at; https://mdtaber.ab.ca/p/submit-a-service-request

TRAINING - Annual Firearms Qualifications M.D. of Taber Peace Officers spent the day in Calgary re-certifying on the issued firearm - the Mossburg Shotgun. Peace Officers are permitted to utilize firearms, amongst other tools, according to their individual appointments and must re-qualify yearly on handling, marksmanship and safety. These are mandatory requirements set out by the Solicitor General of Alberta.

This week, we recognize all our friends in the Métis community. We are proud of the relationships we have built and we will continue to expand on them in the future. For those who are celebrating, Happy Métis Week! #MetisWeek2020

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - Car Seat Inspection & Installation Have a new baby? Not sure how to install the car seat properly or just need someone to make sure you've done it right? Our Peace Officers are trained car seat inspectors through St. John Ambulance and are able to assist you to make sure your child's car seat is safe and put in properly. ... Did you know that car seats expire? Or that if you've been in an accident, that your car seat may need to be replaced? Make an appointment via email at [email protected]

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - Update on Remembrance Day Ceremonies Our very own Director of Community Safety, Kirk Hughes, was in attendance as a guest speaker today in support of the Taber Public Library's event for veterans. It was a well attended event and hats off to the organizers, guest speaker Alf Rudd, the Taber Irrigation Impact Museum and MD Councillors Miyanaga and Turcato. Tomorrow's Remembrance Day Service at the Town of Taber will consist solely of an outdoor ceremony ...to be held at the Taber Cenotaph which will be Live Streamed beginning at 10:50 AM via the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #20’s official Facebook Page at: www.facebook.com/TaberLegion Retlaw, Enchant and Vauxhall will continue as planned by their individual communities. As a precaution for public health and safety, the Remembrance Day Service has been reduced to essential personnel only as recommended by the Government of Alberta COVID-19 protocols. The service will now commence at 11:00 AM with a Cohort of less than 15 members. Members of the general public who wish to still attend the Cenotaph to pay their respects are asked to do so after the ceremony has concluded at 11:15 AM. Thank you for your continued support and understanding. Lest We Forget.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT/MEDIA - Remembrance Day Tomorrow, Wednesday November 11th, marks the 102nd anniversary of the end of the First World War and the 75th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Today, at the Taber Library, starting at 1 p.m. is a lecture series with guest veteran speakers from our region, including; Former Police Chief Alf Rudd, MOM and our very own Sergeant Kirk Hughes, CD and many others. Check out the Taber Library page for more information.... Peace Officers will be attending local events across the Region tomorrow in our communities in honour of Remembrance Day.

HOLIDAY OBSERVATION - Remembrance Day Preparing for a unique Remembrance Day ceremony this year due to COVID19 has the M.D. of Taber Peace Officers working alongside the Royal Canadian Legion and the newly appointed Taber Police "Regimental Sergeant-Major" Cst. Chris Nguyen to make contingencies for Wednesday (November 11th). As of today, weather and guidelines permitting, Remembrance Day will be held at the Taber Cenotaph starting at 10:55 a.m.... Photo: (L) Taber Police Sgt-Maj Cst. Chris Nguyen and (R) Director of Community Safety Kirk Hughes, CD

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT - COVID19 In the wake of last week’s provincial public health announcement regarding the concerning rise in COVID-19 cases, the Municipal District of Taber, the Town of Taber, the Town of Vauxhall, and the Village of Barnwell have joined together to send a strong message urging citizens to follow and adhere to ALL safety and precautionary measures issued by Alberta Health to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Together we can #STOPTHESPREAD.

WINTER STORM - Road Conditions & Closures Peace Officers have been monitoring road conditions across the region since the start of the storm. Reports that Highway #3 past Lethbridge (west of Highway #25) is closed due to a multi-vehicle pile up. Police, Fire and EMS are on-scene and are re-directing traffic. Please avoid the area altogether. ... The "Hoth Patrol" went out early this morning. Their report consist of; blowing snow, black ice (especially at intersections) and whiteouts/zero visibility. Maintenance crews are out in force trying to clear the highways to make travel safer but please, if you don't need to travel - stay home.