In terms of provisions in the provincial budget to tackle crime, Lacombe's Police Chief says there are some steps in the right direction.
 
The hiring of more Crown Prosecutors and support staff is encouraging to Lorne Blumhagen who will be watching to see how those resources will be allocated in the province.
 
New protocol set out for Crown Prosecutors indicates it might be best not to prosecute minor offences at all, and that charging someone may be enough of a deterrent.
 
Blumhagen sees merit in alternative resolutions and other diversion programs to help in reducing the backlog in the courts “there’s a new mental health diversion program that will be piloted out of Red Deer which I think is a very important program and I hope to see it succeed. But we’re also open to looking at other diversionary and alternative measures type programs to reduce the number of individuals that we are sending through the court process”.

Lacombe’s top cop calls the funding announced for a new court house in Red Deer long overdue, and says it will translate into time savings for his members who juggle attending hearings at both the current courthouse and the Baymont Inn and Suites.

He was also pleased to see the province didn't make any cuts to municipal policing grants.