Mandate Letter to Alberta’s Public Safety Minister Calls for Ankle Bracelets for Violent Offenders, Provincial DNA Lab

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis stand together during the swearing in of her cabinet, in Edmonton on June 9, 2023. Jason Franson/The Canadian Press

EDMONTON—Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has laid out the orders for Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis, and two of the most significant mandates include creation of a new provincial DNA lab, and ankle bracelet monitoring for sexual and violent offenders.

Ms. Smith informed Mr. Ellis in a July 31 mandate letter that violence and social order “have become one of the gravest challenges governments across Canada are facing.”

“Fueled by an unprecedented mental health and addiction crisis and enabled by dysfunctional bail laws, a cheap supply of deadly hard drugs and far too many ‘defund the police’ policies, our streets increasingly resemble those of Vancouver, Portland, and San Francisco,” said the premier.

“We cannot let this happen. Enough is enough,” added Ms. Smith.

Mr. Ellis, who was also sworn in as deputy premier on June 9, is tasked with “immediately” implementing the Safe Streets Action Plan, which includes adding at minimum 100 new patrol officers in Calgary and Edmonton. She asked that he assess whether more officers are needed, and at the same time, create specialized, sheriff-led anti-fentanyl and illegal gun trafficking teams, including at the Canada–U.S. Border.

Ms. Smith also wants the minister to work with partners and create a new provincial DNA lab while working with sheriffs to implement a “modern ankle bracelet monitoring program and enhanced 24-hour bail monitoring of violent and sexual offenders.”

The minister is instructed to expand provincial cybercrime units and examine opportunities for continuing to deploy sheriffs in Edmonton, Calgary, and other communities to help frontline law enforcement officers conduct patrols.

Alberta will also be creating additional gang suppression units, which include “increased monitoring of scrap metal dealers and gang connections to reduce catalytic converter theft” from vehicles.

The premier identified a number of other initiatives that will be overseen by Mr. Ellis and his department, including the creation and expansion of therapeutic living units at jails and ensuring education for sheriffs to expand their policing role.

Mr. Ellis is also tasked with developing a flood and fire mitigation strategy to proactively protect communities at risk of future natural disasters. Like almost all mandate letters issued so far to Alberta’s newly appointed ministers, the premier wants a focus on ministry-specific job attraction strategies to attract young adults aged 16 to 24 to careers in policing, emergency services, and emergency management roles.

Ms. Smith also asked Mr. Ellis to continue to work with indigenous communities to address rising crime rates and gaps in policing, plus continue Alberta’s commitment to improve mental health and addiction treatment services.

“Our government has a top priority to bring back the safety that every community, family and individual deserves. We cannot afford to be soft on crime, nor can we allow repeat violent criminal offenders out on bail. Albertans have the right to feel safe, no matter where they live or work,” said Mr. Ellis, a former 12-year Calgary police officer, in a statement.