Grande Prairie Enforcement Services is encouraging business owners to consider enrolling in the AGENT program. Introduced to the city in 2018, the program gives bylaw officers, peace officers, and police officers additional powers to Enforcing the Trespass to Premises Act and Petty Trespass Act on private properties.
In June 2014, the Alberta government enacted a law enabling police officers to remove individuals they suspect of gang affiliations from licensed premises. The AGENT program extends this authority, allowing officers to act as an “agent” of participating local businesses and helping to lay charges and get convictions for trespassers. This designation also empowers officers to eject or ban any patrons on behalf of the business owner.
Since its inception in Grande Prairie, 387 businesses have registered for the AGENT program in the area.
“Having information provided to the AGENT program greatly reduces the amount of time an officer needs to spend tracking down a business owner to verify they want someone removed from their property, allowing their business to continue uninterrupted,” says Peace Officer Sergeant Bransen Balfour. “These records are used on a daily basis to improve response time.”
Each participating business receives an AGENT sticker to display prominently at all main entrances. This sticker signals to GPES members that the business is a participant in the program, allowing them to promptly address and remove problem individuals from the premises.
To become involved in the program as a business owner, complete the Grande Prairie AGENT Form at cityofgp.com and submit it to es_contact@cityofgp.com or attend the GPES front counter at the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment at 10202 99 Street.
