The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit of the Alberta Sheriffs obtained a court order against the owner of 3232 Rae Crescent SE that gives investigators the authority to close the property for 90 days, starting at noon on Oct. 17.

The community safety order, issued in Court of King’s Bench, bars people from the property until the closure period ends on Jan. 15, 2024. Crews are erecting a fence around the property, boarding up the house and changing the locks to prevent any unauthorized entry during the 90-day closure.

“Criminal activity that disrupts neighbourhoods and threatens the safety and well-being of the people who live in them will not be tolerated. Families have a right to feel safe in their own home and community. The SCAN unit helps break the cycle of crime at problem properties and is a great example of our Alberta Sheriffs working with other law enforcement agencies to improve public safety across the province.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

“Investigations by the SCAN unit help people take back their communities when criminal activity disrupts their day-to-day lives and can threaten their safety. The SCAN unit’s work with our law enforcement partners is a way that law-abiding Albertans can reclaim their sense of safety and enjoy the peace and quiet they deserve.”

Farooq Sheikh, chief, Alberta Sheriffs

The Alberta Sheriffs work with other law enforcement agencies to shut down properties being used for illegal activities. The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act gives sheriffs the authority to target problem properties through civil enforcement.

Since its inception in 2008, Alberta’s SCAN unit has investigated more than 8,000 properties and issued approximately 100 community safety orders. Most complaints are resolved by working with owners to stop the illegal activity on their property.

Quick facts

  • The SCAN unit began its investigation in January, in response to multiple complaints from the community.
  • Investigators were able to substantiate complaints about drug activity, observing suspected drug transactions and a high number of people coming and going from the property.
  • Between January 2022 and May 2023, Calgary police visited the property 37 times, responding to calls about drug use and drug trafficking, disturbances, violence and threats.
  • Firefighters and paramedics responded to overdoses at the property in March and May of this year.
  • In May, SCAN unit investigators served the property owner with a warning letter.
  • When the warning letter failed to result in any improvement, SCAN investigators and an Alberta Justice lawyer obtained a community safety order in Court of King’s Bench on Oct. 3.
  • In addition to the 90-day closure, the community safety order authorizes investigators to monitor the property for three years, expiring on Oct. 3, 2026.

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Insp. Mike Dirkson of the SCAN unit will be available between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. for on-camera interviews at 3232 Rae Crescent SE in Calgary.