Editors'
Notes
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Conference
Listings
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Messages
from...
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article
Solicitor
General launches review of provincial corrections programs
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article
Former
navy captain new Chief Crown Prosecutor
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Judicial
Dispute Resolution becomes a permanent part of Edmonton Provincial Court
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article
Support
strong for controversial high-risk offender web site
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article
Justice
and Solicitor General employees honoured
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article
Premier's
Award of Excellence
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article
Maintenance
Enforcement Program seeks the best through leadership
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article
Public-private
partnership considered for Calgary court complex
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article
Dispute
Resolution Officers improve family court process
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article
New training manual will help Alberta's victims of crime
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article
New bill addresses the needs of Albertans in committed interdependent relationships
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article
New $30 million program for local projects and initiatives
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article
Victims of Crime Consultation tours province
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Barbara
Moreland - Health care behind the walls
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article
Crime
Prevention Week increases awareness
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In our
courts - some interesting judgments from the Alberta courts
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Previous Issues
Spring
2002
Winter 2002
Summer 2001
G8 Summit
Security operation planned for the worse and hoped for the best
 A police officer watches a peaceful protest parade move through downtown Calgary. CP Photo Credit: Paul Chiasson. |
As one person described it, the G8 Summit turned out to be less disruptive than the Calgary Stampede. It didn’t last as long, the parade was smaller and there were no horses to clean up after.
From a security point of view, the June 26-27 G8 Summit in Kananaskis — the largest peace time security operation in Canadian history — was an unqualified success.
The summit will become a model for future international political conferences, said RCMP chief superintendent Lloyd Hickman.
 Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is presented with a gift from Chief Ernest Wesley of the Wesley First Nation near Calgary. |
Security for the summit was provided jointly by the RCMP, the Calgary Police Service, and the Canadian Armed Forces. Other police services from across the country also sent officers to support security efforts.
Calgary
Police Chief Jack Beaton said his members employed a “soft” approach,
using officers on bicycles as the first line of defense rather than shield-bearing
riot squads.
A day after the G8 ended, he admitted he worried the strategy could backfire.
“For the
past 11 months, I’ve been nervous,” Beaton said. “I haven’t slept in the
last five days. You always worry whether your tactics are going to work.”
Sgt. Michael O'Rielly of the RCMP answers questions at Canmore Collegiate High School.
Canadian
helicopters transport world leaders to Kananaskis.
Photos
provided by Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
But while there were some tense moments, the soft approach ultimately paid off.
Further behind the scenes, the Calgary Correctional Centre was transformed from a provincial correctional institution to an arrest processing unit as the Calgary Police Service moved its arrest processing unit from its normal downtown location. Offenders were temporarily transferred to other Alberta facilities to make room for any mass arrests. Extra corrections officers were brought in to handle the anticipated increased volume.
The centre was also used by RCMP members, Immigration officials, provincial court workers, Alberta Infrastructure staff and defence counsel. Space was also allocated for two video arraignment links to the Provincial Court.
The Calgary Young Offender Centre was prepared to handle any youths arrested during the summit, and also had equipment installed for video court appearances.
Court and Prisoner Services (CAPS) officers were reassigned to be part of booking teams with the RCMP and Calgary Police. CAPS officers also beefed up security at various government offices in Edmonton and Calgary.
In preparation for the summit, and to free up police and CAPS officers to be available during the summit, court schedules across Alberta were altered substantially.
Almost no criminal trials — which typically require police witnesses — were scheduled a week prior to, or during the summit week. And the hours of operation of criminal docket courts in Calgary were increased during the week of the summit, running from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., in the event there were a large number of arrests.
At the Calgary Crown prosecutors’ office, three prosecutors worked in shifts around the clock to handle any charges associated with protests. This followed several months of efforts by prosecutors and Alberta Justice civil counsel, who worked with police to provide legal advice on protesters’ rights, powers of arrest, what types of offences to watch out for and what evidence is needed to support a charge. In addition, much work was done to ensure compliance with provincial legislation, such as provincial parks use.
In the end, only five G8 arrests resulting in criminal charges were made — and two of them happened days before the summit even began.
It turned out that the extensive security preparations were successful and all agree it was an excellent opportunity for learning and networking with colleagues.
“It’s
better to be criticized for being too prepared than for not being prepared
enough,” said Bob Dunster, the Alberta Solicitor General’s assistant
deputy minister for public security.
“It’s been said since the beginning that we were planning for
the worst but hoping for the best. We got exactly what we hoped for.”
