The message from the Alberta RCMP is that officers are committed to keeping communities that have been evacuated because of wildfires safe and secure. Some of the strategies include perimeter control, which maintains tight access control into an evacuated community and roving patrols where marked police vehicles will regularly drive through the community looking for signs of criminal activities and people who are not authorized to be in the evacuated area. As well, when it gets dark, advanced optical and night vision technology will be mounted on drones to pinpoint any suspicious activity.

Quick Response Teams are in place to respond to any incidents including Special Tactical Operations and Emergency Response Teams. Investigative Teams will analyze any reports of suspicious activity and individuals, targeting prolific offenders and criminal hotspots. A news release from the Alberta RCMP says various crime reduction techniques are also being used, like “bait” vehicles to catch criminals in the act.