Lethbridge Regional Police Service

Infobox Police Department
name = Lethbridge Regional Police Service
logo =
motto =
established = 1 February,2004
jurisdiction = Regional
sworn = 141
non-sworn = 43
stations = 1
chief = Tom McKenzie
website = http://www.lethbridgepolice.ca/

Lethbridge Regional Police Service was established 1 February 2004 as a result of an amalgamation of the police services of Lethbridge and Coaldale, Alberta. The service covers both Lethbridge and Coaldale.

=History=

The Lethbridge Police Force was established in 1902; Thomas Lewis was appointed the Chief of Police. The force had a total staff of two and served a population of about 2,000.

As of 2007, the police service employs 141 officers, 43 civilian staff and over 50 civilian volunteers, and serves a population of about 84,654.

Lethbridge Regional Police Commission

The service is governed by a nine-person commission composed of three members of the Lethbridge City Council and the Coaldale town council and six citizens. The commission oversees the service, allocates funds from both councils and establishes policing policies. They also provide instruction to the police chief regarding sufficient staffing levels.

=Organization= The current head of the service is Chief Tom McKenzie, who has over 30 years of policing experience with the service. The executive officers heading the service's four divisions are Inspector Eugene Wehlage, Inspector Colin Catonio, Inspector Jeff Cove, and Inspector Bill Kaye.

=Rank= The rank structure consists of the following:

#Chief
#Inspector
#Staff sergeant
#Sergeant
#Senior constable
#Constable

=Training=

As of 2005, newly hired officers must complete the Police Recruit Training Program through the Centre for Advancement in Community Justice, located at the Lethbridge College.

tructure

The organization of the police service includes four divisions: community policing, criminal investigation, administrative support and support services.

Community policing

The community policing division maintains peace and good order, protects lives and property, and prevents and detects crime. It accomplishes this through the following:

*Patrol services
*Downtown policing
*Traffic safety
*Court liaison
*Community resources
*Victim and witness services

Criminal investigation

The criminal investigation division provides support services to on-going investigations through the major and organized crimes sections. Key areas of the division include the following:

*Violent crimes
*Forensic identification
*Crime analysis
*Property crimes
*Serious habitual offenders
*Special operations
*Criminal intelligence
*Economic crimes
*National weapons enforcement
*Gaming

Administrative support

The administrative support division oversees the following areas:

*Human resources
*Professional standards
*Policy and accreditation
*Property and exhibits
*Business management

upport services

The support services division provides support to all other divisions as required, including a specialized response to ongoing crises and ensuring the continuous flow ofinformation. This division is responsible for:

*Public safety communications
*Information technology
*Records management
*Tactical support

=Fleet=

The majority of marked patrol vehicles deployed by the service are Ford Crown Victoria police interceptors. Some other marked vehicles are a Dodge Durango and a Ford Econoline van. Patrol vehicles contain the traditional black-and-white paint scheme.

References

* [http://www.lethbridgepolice.ca/docs/2006-2008%20LRPS%20Business%20Plan.pdf 2006–2008 Business Plan] , Lethbridge Regional Police Service. Accessed 15 August 2006.

External links

* [http://www.lethbridgepolice.ca/ Lethbridge Regional Police website]