Safe Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) & Calgary Police Service

Post date: Nov 05, 2013 11:58:10 PM

We have had a number of residents requesting information on how to report suspicious activity within our complex. As we live in tight quarters, we need to keep an eye out for this type of behaviour to ensure the safety of all residents.

The Calgary Police Service has a 24 hour voicemail system (403-428-8100) which anyone can call and leave a detailed description of the suspicious activity (provide as much detail as possible) along with the address of the unit. This is an anonymous tip line so you do not need to leave your name or contact information. The Calgary Police Service will check their case files to see if there is any open cases on the said unit and if not, a new one will be created and they will look into it. Please note that they may take awhile to process the case so please be patient.

Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) helps Albertans to take back their neighbourhoods and deal with problem properties in their communities. Illegal activities are dealt with and safer neighbourhoods are created for the families that live there. SCAN investigations can also assist police by providing information to support criminal investigations.

SCAN promotes community safety by targeting properties that are continually used for ongoing illegal activities such as:

    • producing, selling or using illegal drugs

    • prostitution

    • solvent abuse

    • unlawful sale and/or consumption of alcohol

    • child sexual abuse

    • gang & criminal organization activity

How can you determine if the property is being used for illegal activity?

SCAN addresses properties that:

    • negatively affect the health, safety or security of one or more persons in a neighbourhood

    • interfere with the peaceful enjoyment of one or more properties in a community or neighbourhood

The SCAN legislation holds property owners accountable for illegal activities regularly taking place on their property.

There are some signs you can look for to determine if a property is being used for illegal activity. Alone, any of these activities or signs may not necessarily mean that suspicious activity is taking place, but a frequency of these activities or a combination of them may indicate a problem. Some of the signs include:

    • frequent visitors at all times of the day and night

    • frequent late night activity

    • windows blackened or curtains always drawn

    • visitors with expensive vehicles

    • unfriendly people who appear to be secretive about their activities

    • people watching cars suspiciously as they pass by

    • extensive investment in home security

    • strange odours coming from the house or garbage

    • garbage that contains numerous bottles and containers, particularly chemical containers

    • putting garbage out in another neighbour's collection area

For more information, please visit SCAN @ http://www.solgps.alberta.ca/safe_communities/scan/Pages/SCAN.aspx