ARTICLES

Nearly one million dollars’ worth of stolen property has been recovered following an extensive investigation into stolen holiday trailers and campers. ALERT’s Southeast Alberta Property Crime unit has charged two Medicine Hat men.
 
Following a three-month investigation, ALERT has recovered 13 stolen holiday travel trailers, and other stolen vehicles and property, worth an estimated $970,000. The other stolen property included a sports car, recreational vehicles, motorbikes, tools, and various vehicle parts.
 
“This was a complex, coordinated scheme that undoubtedly ruined many family’s summer vacation plans. However, the impact of organized crime extends beyond the victim, and is a cost that society collectively bears,” said Supt. Dwayne Lakusta, ALERT CEO.
 
ALERT alleges two Medicine Hat men were involved in the thefts, and fraudulently re-vinned the trailers before being re-sold. A search of one of the suspect’s homes yielded materials for making fraudulent VIN stickers.
 
“Vehicle theft is a serious issue that affects us all through higher insurance premiums and can also be a risk to personal safety. Insurance Bureau of Canada is pleased to have been involved in this investigation and we congratulate ALERT for their success in recovering the stolen property,” said Sid Kingma, Director, Investigative Services, Western and Pacific Region, IBC.
 
Nathan Herter, 36-year-old man, was arrested in Medicine Hat on June 18, 2021 and charged with theft over $5,000, possession of break and enter tools, suspended driving, and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.
 
Mathew Hillier, a 36-year-old man, was arrested in Hope, BC on June 29, 2021 and charged with theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property.
 
The thefts date as far back as December 2020 and spread across the westernmost provinces. ALERT’s investigation relied on the assistance of Service Alberta, Insurance Bureau of Canada, Medicine Hat Police, and various RCMP detachments.
 
ALERT continues to investigate and is not ruling out additional charges.
 
To date, ALERT has recovered:

• Elevation trailer stolen in Redcliff and recovered in Sylvan Lake;
• Keystone camper stolen in Dunmore and recovered in Lacombe County;
• Reflection camper stolen in Lacombe and recovered in Hope, BC;
• Cargo trailer stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Hope, BC;
• Cargo trailer stolen in Redcliff and recovered in Hope, BC;
• Keystone camper stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Tompkins, Sask.;
• Jayco camper stolen in Red Deer and recovered in Cypress County;
• Keystone trailer stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Langdon;
• Dutchman trailer stolen in Dunmore and recovered in Kelowna;
• Keystone camper stolen in Strathmore and recovered in County of Forty Mile;
• Sunvalley camper stolen in Lethbridge and recovered in Kelowna;
• Palamino trailer stolen in Regina, Sask. And recovered in Cypress County;
• Cargo trailer stolen in Lacombe and recovered in Brock, Sask.;
• Cargo trailer stolen in Drumheller and recovered in Brock, Sask;
• Keystone trailer stolen in Swift Current, Sask. and recovered in Calgary;
• Keystone camper stolen in Lacombe and recovered in Brock, Sask; and
• Mirage trailer stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Brock, Sask.

 
A number of trailers were purchased at steep discounts, and already in the possession of a third-party.
 
ALERT believes there are still numerous stolen trailers outstanding and the investigation is ongoing. If you believe you may have unknowingly purchased a stolen trailer, you can contact ALERT’s Southeast Alberta Regional Property Crime unit at 403-529-8481.
 
Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.
 
ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.

The Medicine Hat Police Service has noted a recent trend of vehicle entries throughout the City.  All of the entries have occurred to vehicles which have been unlocked and have contained valuables such as keys, credit cards and cash money.  

The Police Service is requesting the publics’ assistance in these matters by ensuring vehicles are locked and all valuables are removed or secured, and any suspicious activity is reported to the Police Service immediately.

In response to this trend, the Police Service will augment resource deployment; with the aim to identify offenders and hold them accountable for any illegal activities.

Anyone with information that could assist with this investigation is asked to contact the Medicine Hat Police Service at 403-529-8481. Tips may also be submitted via the MHPS Mobile App, which is free and available to download for both Apple and Android devices by searching ‘Medicine Hat Police Service’ on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Media Contact:

S/Sgt. Cory Both

Patrol Section

Medicine Hat Police service

Ph: 403-529-8481

On the early morning of August 18, 2021, the Medicine Hat Police Service received a complaint of a stolen 2014 Dodge 3500 Ram truck.  Later this same day at about 7:30 pm MHPS patrol officers located the same stolen vehicle as it was being driven by a male.  Shortly thereafter the truck was abandoned and the male suspect fled on foot.  Police containment was immediately established and the male was quickly apprehended hiding in the backyard of a residence.

As a result, a 32-year-old Lethbridge male has been charged with the following offences and is currently being held for a Judicial Interim Release Hearing;

• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle,
• Flight from police officer,
• Possession of stolen property over $5000
• Possession of stolen property under $5000

The MHPS would like to remind the public to secure vehicles when not in use and never to leave ignition keys or valuables within vehicles. 

Media Contact:
S/Sgt Jason Graham
403-529-8410

Fingerprinting and Certified Criminal Record Checks taken by Electronic Fingerprinting

All Certified Criminal Record Checks are conducted using Fingerprints that are electronically collected and submitted to the RCMP National Repository in Ottawa.  They are part of the process when applying for Citizenship, Immigration (Landed Immigrant Status), Name Changes, Pardons (Record Suspensions), US Travel Waivers and much more.  We also offer Ink & Paper Fingerprinting services for such purposes as Criminal Record Checks in other countries – Passport renewal, Immigration Police Clearance Checks (PCC) and employment with virtually any employer.

All Non-Criminal Fingerprinting is done by appointment only on Tuesday to Thursday beginning at 2:15 in the afternoon.  To contact the MHPS to book an appointment Please contact us at (403)529-8455 or by email at property@mhps.ca .

What is a Certified Criminal Record Check?

What are the differences in Criminal Record Checks?

Requirements, Costs and Payment Options

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Certified Criminal Record Check?

A Certified Criminal Record Check (CCRC) is a search conducted by the Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) to search for any criminal record that may exist for any name and fingerprint combination for convictions occurring anywhere within Canada.  They are done as part of the application process for many types of Employment, Citizenship, Immigration (Landed Immigrant Status), Name Changes, Pardons (Record Suspensions), Foreign Travel, Visas, Work & Waivers and occasionally for such things as Cannabis Cultivation Permits.  Although the CCRTIS operates under the RCMP umbrella as the holder of criminal records in Canada, these CCRC can be applied for at many local police services including MHPS in addition to actual RCMP detachments and some certified provider like the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires.  If you reside in Medicine Hat and attend an RCMP detachment in the surrounding area, they may refer you to our police service as you reside within our jurisdiction.

What are the differences in Record Checks?

There are several levels of Record checks in Canada, but the most general are:

Background Check:  This is usually done by a private investigation company or organization and covers only the most basic of information.  This process is sometimes employed by a future employer when they wish to investigate your background before hiring.  Because they will only have access to so much information that is not very specific or detailed, they may come back with some sort of inconclusive finding and that would send you to one of the other common versions. The MHPS has no ability to do such as service.

Police Information Check: A Police Information Check (PIC), sometimes referred to as a background check, is a detailed criminal and police history, or a confirmation of the absence of any information, based on the personal information provided. The results will be provided on a Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) certificate letter. This check is based solely on Canada-wide information. This Police Information Check only provides information found at the time of the check and we are limited to information available on the three source systems. This check does not include information found in any other jurisdiction’s local police information systems; nor does it include court information of any other province(s), except convictions registered on the National Repository for Canada.  It is used for such things as Volunteer Employment and Venerable Sector searches.  It has been requested for Immigration as well as other purposes but is not typically what is required by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Certified Criminal Record Check: Because a CCRC is a search conducted by CCRTIS to search the National Repository for any criminal record that may exist from a conviction anywhere within Canada, a certified document is issued for any requesting agency that may require the information.  If it is important to know if a person has a CCRC as part of a process like immigration, it may have to be as recent as may be possible – CCRCs do not have an expiry date, rather they are a snapshot in time that says as of this date this person with these fingerprints has been found to have the following criminal record (if any).

 Further information on Record checks can be found at:

https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/criminal-record-checks

Requirements, Cost and Payment Options

We will require you to present at least one piece of government issued identification and it must include both name and date of birth in addition to some sort of control/issue number such as Birth Certificate, Alberta Health Care Card, Immigration Documents or Marriage Certificate.  At least one piece of ID must contain a picture such as Provincial Drivers Licence, Passport, Citizenship Card, Motor Vehicles Registry Photo ID card, Native Status Card or PAL.  Social Insurance Cards and temporary driver’s permits are not considered acceptable as they do not include date of birth.  In most circumstances we will need your current mailing address so that the results may be mailed to you directly.

The total cost for any process that requires the taking of electronic fingerprinting is $75 while the total cost for any Ink & Paper Fingerprinting is $50, these prices include GST.  The cost of electronic fingerprinting covers two elements: $25 is forwarded to the RCMP (CCRTIS) to perform the Criminal Record Check) and the other portion of $50 is retained by the MHPS to maintain & operate the Livescan equipment.  MHPS accepts payment for these services by Debit, Cheque – made out to “Medicine Hat Police Service” or of course cash.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q- How long will it take to get the results for my CCRC?

A- Typically the results will be mailed to your personal residence within 2-3 weeks although as little as 1 week has occurred.  Once it arrives, you should forward it to the agency that requires it as soon as possible to avoid the issue of being current enough.  There are sometimes delays if there are unexpected volumes of application like Immigration, agencies like IRCC are aware that these delays exist so they will not be concerned if they occur in your case.

Q- How long will I be at the MHPS to get this process?

A- Typically the process will take only about 10 minutes from the time you get into the fingerprint room to your departure, appointments are only 15 minutes long so please attempt to meet your appointment timings

Q- Can the results be sent directly to the agency that wants them – like IRCC?

A- Unfortunately with our software and Policy, we are unable to request that the information is sent to anybody other than the person requesting it (with only one exception – employment with the federal Government).  All the agencies that request this from IRCC to RECA in addition to civil companies applying for Pardons & Waivers are aware of this and will accept the information if it comes to you first.  This typically adds only an additional day or two to the process.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Request

​The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, RSA 2000, Chapter F-25 (often referred to as the FOIP Act) is a provincial Act that applies to all public bodies in the province of Alberta. The Medicine Hat Police Service is a public body within the province of Alberta.

The FOIP Act has five purposes:

1. A right of access to records held by a public body, subject to limited and specific exceptions.
2. A right of access to one’s own personal information held by a public body.
3. A right to request the correction of one’s personal information held by a public body.
4. The protection of personal information held by a public body.
5. Independent review of a public body’s decisions by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

This means anyone has a right to ask for any information held by the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS), who must then review the request and determine if you are entitled to receive the related records.

Submitting an Access Request

Due to a temporary limitation in our staffing resources, there will be an estimated 5–6-week delay in the completion of FOIP access request. We are actively working to address this delay and appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging period. If you have any questions or require further assistance, please email mhps@mhps.ca.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay, and we appreciate your patience.

If you are requesting your personal information, you must complete the applicable form (link provided below).  We require you to provide enough information (dates, times, locations etc.) to be able to identify the requested records. If we are unsure of what you are asking for, we will contact you to clarify your request or request further information. Any request for non-personal information must be accompanied by a cheque for $25, payable to the Medicine Hat Police Service, before the request will be processed. In addition, the FOIP Act prescribes a fee schedule that we may charge for both personal and general information but if any further fees are required, you will be contacted by the Information Coordinator prior to the request being processed to ensure you accept the fee estimate. 

Depending on the manner in which you would like to receive the information, you can expect to be contacted by the Information Coordinator, to verify your identity.

How long will it take for you to respond to my Access Request? Under the FOIP Act, we have up to 30 days to respond to your request; we may extend that time if the request is particularly complex or involves an extremely large number of records. We will do our best to provide your records as quickly as possible. 

What requests are not processed through a FOIP Access Request?

1. Requests for collision reports:These are processed by the Information Coordinator upon payment of fees. A driver or registered owner of a vehicle involved in an accident (or their lawyer or insurance company) will receive a copy of the police report, drivers’ statements and any witness statements where the witness has indicated a willingness to have their statement provided to the drivers.
2. Media requests for information:Although members of the media have the right to request information through the FOIP Act, often their inquiries (which may be complex) can be best facilitated through the Media Relations contact.
3. Request for police information checks (security clearances):These are processed through the MHPS Police Information Check process (either online or walk-in).

Request to access information form: click here

Contact us:

Email: policeinfo@mhps.ca
Phone: 403-502-8916
Mailing address:

Medicine Hat Police Service
Attn: Information Coordinator
884 2 Street SE
Medicine Hat, AB 
T1A 8H2​

On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022, the Medicine Hat Police Service pledged to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of individuals in the community (Medicine Hat & surrounding area) who lead, inspire, and motivate women and work to break the bias towards advancing gender equity.

Over the next year, each month the MHPS will select a local individual(s) to highlight and celebrate, with a goal of raising the profile, recognizing, and celebrating the achievements of these individuals who are catalysts for change in our community, and are working to advance women professionally and personally.

Anyone who wishes to nominate a strong role model in our community can do so by submitting a nomination 

Nomination Form

The nominations will be reviewed by a committee comprised of women who serve with the MHPS and each month they will select and arrange to meet with the winner to celebrate their accomplishments.

Please join MHPS Victims Assistance, Redcliff Victim Assistance and in collaboration with the Miywasin Friendship Centre for the Power of Collaboration Conference on May 18-20, 2022. The conference aims to raise awareness of the issues facing victims and survivors of crime by offering professional workshops and training opportunities about the services, assistance and laws in place to help victims, survivors and their families.

We focus on multidisciplinary agency collaborations to learn strategies and trauma-informed care practices to help reduce the physical and psychological impact of trauma including vicarious trauma.  You will hear agencies share program successes through keynote speakers and breakout sessions, as well as have the opportunity to participate in hands-on holistic wellness workshops. 

A pre-conference registration networking evening kicks-off the event.  Please  click here for registration information.

This conference has been made possible by funding through the:

Department of Justice Canada
Medicine Hat College
Medicine Hat Police Service and Victim Assistance
Redcliff RCMP and Victim Assistance
and in collaboration with the Miywasin Friendship Centre

The Medicine Hat Safe Community Association is seeking volunteers to join their board.

The Medicine Hat Safe Community Association coordinates the Chief Gord Earl Leadership Legacy Scholarship presentations/BBQ during the Medicine Hat Police Service Open House, organizes the KidFind programs at community events such as Canada Day and the Medicine Hat Exibition and Stampede, and raises funds to support the Encouraging Positive Informed Choices (EPIC) program delivered by members of the Medicine Hat Police Service to students in the local school districts.

If you would like to learn more about how you can participate email mhsassociation@gmail.com

The Medicine Hat Police Service Community Support Unit (CSU) consists of the School Resource Officer (SRO) program, the Call Centre, and is responsible for a variety of local special events and community engagement.

The SROs provide a visible police presence in some of our local schools and work with students, families, guardians, staff, support services, and administrators to provide a safe environment for everyone while building a positive relationship between youth and police.

Currently, there are three SROs in Medicine Hat:

Cst. Matt Sanders is assinged to Monsignor McCoy High School, St. Mary’s School, and Notre Dame Academy.  Cst. Sanders and be reached by email at matthew.sanders@mhps.ca or Ph: 403-458-1403

Cst. Brent Bohrn is assigned to Crescent Heights High School.  Cst. Bohrn can be reached by email at brent.bohrn@mhps.ca or Ph: 403-458-0209.

Cst. Taylor Olenic is assigned to Medicine Hat High School.  Cst.Olenic can be reached by email at taylor.olenic@mhps.ca or Ph: 403-928-7570.

Cst. Sanders, Cst. Bohrn, and Cst. Olenic are a wealth of knowledge and resources and are eager to assist whenever they are able.

Sgt. Adam Gregory is the supervisor of the CSU and is a liaison to all the schools within Medicine Hat. Further, Sgt. Gregory coordinates the Encouraging Positive Informed Choices (EPIC) program, police coverage for local special events, community engagement where resources allow, and extra duty events.

Sgt. Gregory can be reached at adam.gregory@mhps.ca or 403-529-8451.

The CSU are thankful to provide these services to the great community of Medicine Hat.

Media Contact:

Sgt Adam Gregory
Community Support Unit
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8451