Lacombe County council ratified an agreement with Blackfalds RCMP yesterday morning concerning how a plain clothes investigator paid for by the municipality, will be deployed.

In a Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties, the investigator will only participate in other duties when "agreed upon by the County and the Blackfalds Detachment Commander."

County reeve Paula Law said this was to fulfill council's wish that the position would be focused on criminal investigations.

The plain clothes investigator job is the result of a contract Lacombe County signed with Alberta Justice and the Solicitor General in May, creating an “enhanced policing position.”

Red Deer County has done the same.

The officer would be based at the Blackfalds RCMP detachment and focus on crime prevention, identifying habitual offenders, conducting surveillance and intelligence gathering. He or she will be paid by the county, at $154,000 per year for the next three years. The position will be staffed starting next year.

“More property owners are finding break-ins on their property, theft, vandalism,” Law said. “We’re hoping this will resolve some of the issues, get these through to the court system quicker so we can try to get a handle on this problem.”

There were two other conditions Lacombe County placed on the job: that the officer would report back to council as requested; as well, to work with all detachments that serve the county, including Rimbey, Bashaw, Sylvan Lake and Ponoka.

“We wanted to make sure they collaborated,” Law said. If there’s a case in one, maybe it’s related to another case. We know criminals have no boundaries.”