Latest news with #EdmontonPoliceService
Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
Family searches for missing Edmonton teen Samuel Bird
Samuel Bird's family spent Saturday walking in the rain along the banks of the Edmonton River Valley, looking for the teen. Bird was last seen June 1. Police say the 14-year-old was going to visit a friend in the Canora neighbourhood. They say Bird was last seen leaving the friend's place on foot. 'Sam said he'd be back later that night,' said Alanna Bird, Samuel's mother. Alanna said the family has spent the last seven weeks desperately looking for him. View image in full screen A picture of Samuel Bird. The teen has been missing since Jun. 1. Courtesy: Alanna Bird 'There's some times I'm OK and there's some times I'm not and there's something that reminds me of him,' Alanna said. 'It's really hard.' Story continues below advertisement 'We just need to find him. It's tough,' said Bird's father, Justin. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In a release last week, police said reported sightings of the teen had not been confirmed. The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) did not respond to Global News' request for an update on the investigation Saturday. Alanna said not knowing is the hardest part. She's hoping her search will eventually answer what happened to her son. 'If we don't see him with our own eyes, we'll always have that little what if,' Alanna said. EPS is asking anyone with information to contact them or Crime Stoppers.
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Edmonton Journal
Family, friends scour river valley in search of 14-year-old Samuel Bird
An anguished and angry Alanna Bird was joined by family, friends and supporters in a search for her son, Samuel, who has been missing since June 1. Article content A search team was out in the rain in the river valley near Victoria Park Saturday, looking for any trace of the 14-year-old. The family, Indigenous leaders and politicians expressed frustration with the Edmonton Police Service's response to the missing persons report filed by the Bird family. Article content Article content Article content 'I won't even be able to kiss him now,' said Alanna, who was joined by Samuel's father, Justin Bird, and the boy's paternal grandmother, Geri Potts. 'I don't know how I'm going to find him. Is he going to be in pieces?' Article content Article content The teen was supposed to return to his West Edmonton home on June 1. The family said he was struggling with mental-health issues and was lovesick, and had fallen in with a group of friends they didn't trust. They said friends who used to call on Samuel regularly stopped coming by or sending messages after the teen's disappearance. The family has stated that social-media videos are circulating which look to show Samuel being beaten. Article content 'The reason we're doing this search is that we waited a very long time for information to come, to verify that Sam is either here with us or gone to the spirit world,' said Potts. Article content Article content 'We were directed to start looking in the water,' said Potts. 'Today is a mixed blessing. As we're sitting here, it's raining outside. It's cleansing the ground and preparing us for this search. It could be a long journey before we find him. It could take us a long time, but we're not giving up.' Article content Article content Potts said she's been out and about regularly, looking for Samuel or his friends, from the West Edmonton Mall to the river valley. Article content Alanna remains frustrated with the police. Article content 'It was two days after he didn't come home, he wasn't messaging, so I called the police,' she said. 'They ended up having someone dispatched and coming by.' Article content She said she was told by police that Samuel was likely 'hanging with friends' and would be home sooner or later. Article content 'But the thing was, I would see every day,' said Alanna. 'He always let me know where he was. I don't know how much more I can express that. He knew I always worried about him. I didn't like him to touch alcohol… And I felt something was wrong the first couple of days.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Many Edmontonians do not feel safe after dark, around LRT, shows police survey data
More than one-third of Edmontonians — 36 per cent of respondents — say they would feel unsafe walking alone in their community after dark, shows new data from the Edmonton Police Service (EPS). And almost three-quarters — 72 per cent — say they would feel unsafe taking transit alone after dark. The 'What We Are Hearing' findings presented to the Edmonton Police Commission on Thursday reveal room for improvement in public safety. 'Research participants across all platforms indicate they believe crime rates are increasing and personal safety is decreasing,' said Patricia Misutka, executive director of communications for city police. The numbers come from a range of sources, including recent online surveys, focus groups and public meetings. Social disorder vs. crime Misutka said when people describe what makes them feel unsafe, increasingly they're interchanging issues of crime and disorder — but they're showing an understanding of the complexity of all of it. 'They recognize that issues like homelessness, addiction, mental health crises, and property crime don't all have simple solutions, and require co-ordinated responses from multiple agencies,' she said. 'While they see EPS as having a role in both, they understand these issues are complex, impacted by decisions and other orders of government.' Top issues consistently raised include encampments and public drug use, Misutka said. 'Throughout research discussions, there's a sense people are worried about the extent of and duration of these issues,' she said. Edmonton's crime and disorder are perceived to be worse than other centres in Canada, and respondents believed that deters people from visiting the city's core. The perceptions aren't completely unfounded. 'Violent crime rates have continued to increase,' Misutka said. Focus group results revealed frustration with 'increasingly sticky issues,' Misutka said. 'People in Downtown have probably the highest level of understanding of the nuances of these issues. People outside of the core have a feeling that they can opt out by avoiding the core,' she said. Misutka said some 58 per cent of monthly survey respondents said police should be involved in addressing homelessness. In both open houses and focus groups, the topic of repeat offenders comes up repeatedly, revealing community frustrations with what people perceive as issues of the justice system, Misutka said. Unwilling to report crime According to the snapshot pulled from thousands of Edmontonians surveyed, while respondents continued to express a high willingness to report crime, reasons given for not reporting crime include that reporting might not make a difference, or maybe the report wouldn't be taken seriously — or that it wasn't serious enough to report. 'They worry a little bit about stigmas of types of crime. So if you're reporting something like trouble with person, they don't always want to report — that sort of thing,' Misutka said. While most people believe police are approachable and say they would contact the EPS if they were a victim of crime, reporting rates are low for some crimes in the past 12 months, where 70 per cent of victims reported a personal crime, 58 per cent of victims reported a property crime, and just 39 per cent of victims reported a financial crime. As police move toward more virtual investigations to use digital resources while making the most of manpower, there may be some pushback. How police act Overall, research participants report positive attitudes towards EPS, that they believe the service is protecting society and citizens to the best of their ability and within the constraints of the system they work within. However, there is 'a cognitive dissonance between what people say or their personal experiences' with what they often see in media, which is more critical or negative, Misutka said. 'Participants are very careful to draw a distinction between the actions of individual police officers versus those of the institution,' she said. Just over two-thirds of those surveyed — some 68 per cent of residents — said they support how the police usually act. That number is actually higher among people of colour, with almost three-quarters, or 73 per cent, supporting how the police usually act. From those attending open houses and public meetings, support is consistent, with individuals concerned for officer well-being and mental health and support systems, and expressions of understanding of what police face on the frontlines. There was some criticism levelled at transparency. '(Respondents) tend to be more most critical of EPS when it's perceived to be protecting officers and not fully investigating,' Misutka said. Visibility needed There is a strong desire among the public for police to be visible, especially on transit, with 60 per cent of monthly respondents saying seeing police in their neighbourhoods makes them feel safer. Roughly half of the monthly respondents said the number of police they see in their neighbourhoods is either too low or far too low. In focus groups, there were repeated requests for increased police presence in the community. In communities where crime rates are higher, bike patrols generally are seen to be a good deterrent to illegal activity. Overall, Edmontonians want to see police involved, but they understand very much that police are part of the solution, not all of the solution, Misutka said. 'In focus groups and in public meetings, where more in depth conversations are facilitated, community members demonstrate quite a sophisticated understanding of the complex challenges that EPS and Edmonton are dealing with on an ongoing basis,' she said. jcarmichael@ Related While crime rate in Edmonton has dropped, violent crime incidents have increased since 2019: EPS Injuries decline even as violence rises, Edmonton Police Service control tactics report shows You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Family of missing Cree woman pleads for information after Edmonton disappearance
With no trace of 24-year-old Natanis Merasty for more than two months, her family is pleading for answers about what happened to her. Merasty, a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation who is from La Ronge, Sask., was last seen in Edmonton on May 5. With no confirmed sightings since, Edmonton Police Service is now leading the investigation into the suspicious disappearance. Merasty's aunt and godmother, Marcela Merasty, said Friday that it isn't normal for her niece to be out of touch with family members for so long. "By this time, she'd be calling home for family. Anything that was ever wrong with her, she came to us for support," she said. "The people who have any answers, come forward. Let it out of your heart. Let us family have closure in this." EPS Det. Lisa Riou said police believe Merasty came to Edmonton with friends or acquaintances. She said police have spoken with people who had contact with Merasty in the city, and there a number of "people of interest." While Merasty hasn't been seen since she was in Edmonton, police have traced the path of her vehicle in the days that followed. She appears on surveillance footage from the Continental Inn in west Edmonton, and then a nearby 7-Eleven, in the early morning hours of May 5. After that, police say her car passed through Edmonton and Sherwood Park, east of the city, before travelling southwest. It passed through the areas of Buck Lake, Nordegg and Lake Louise in Alberta, before crossing into B.C. On May 7, the vehicle was on a ferry to Nanaimo, B.C. Three days later, it was back in the Edmonton area, before travelling west, where it was seen west of Lloydminster, on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. On May 15 — 10 days after Merasty was last seen — her vehicle was found abandoned, repainted from black to silver, in James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Riou said there aren't any confirmed images of Merasty during the journey into the other provinces — only the car that belonged to her. Because Edmonton is the last place she was seen, EPS is leading the investigation and working with RCMP. Investigators are still looking into whether Merasty had connections to the places her car was spotted. Riou said police are seeking tips from all three provinces involved in the investigation. "Hopefully as we seek and gain more public information, continue to work with the family, we'll put together a better, broader picture with more details." Merasty's uncle Victor Michel said the family has a lot of hope that she's still alive. "We are hurt as a family, obviously ... We are seeking our girl. We want her home." Merasty often goes by Sikwan with her family members, aunt Noreen Merasty said. If anyone sees her, she said it might help to connect with her by speaking the family's Cree language. "Just tell her in Cree, like, 'It's OK. You don't need to be scared, you don't need to hide,'" she said. "We all love you," she said, then switching to Cree to tell her niece, "Come home now." Police say anyone who may have information about where Merasty is should contact EPS or report tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Family of missing Cree woman pleads for information after Edmonton disappearance
With no trace of 24-year-old Natanis Merasty for more than two months, her family is pleading for answers about what happened to her. Merasty, a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation who is from La Ronge, Sask., was last seen in Edmonton on May 5. With no confirmed sightings since, Edmonton Police Service is now leading the investigation into the suspicious disappearance. Merasty's aunt and godmother, Marcela Merasty, said Friday that it isn't normal for her niece to be out of touch with family members for so long. "By this time, she'd be calling home for family. Anything that was ever wrong with her, she came to us for support," she said. "The people who have any answers, come forward. Let it out of your heart. Let us family have closure in this." EPS Det. Lisa Riou said police believe Merasty came to Edmonton with friends or acquaintances. She said police have spoken with people who had contact with Merasty in the city, and there a number of "people of interest." While Merasty hasn't been seen since she was in Edmonton, police have traced the path of her vehicle in the days that followed. She appears on surveillance footage from the Continental Inn in west Edmonton, and then a nearby 7-Eleven, in the early morning hours of May 5. After that, police say her car passed through Edmonton and Sherwood Park, east of the city, before travelling southwest. It passed through the areas of Buck Lake, Nordegg and Lake Louise in Alberta, before crossing into B.C. On May 7, the vehicle was on a ferry to Nanaimo, B.C. Three days later, it was back in the Edmonton area, before travelling west, where it was seen west of Lloydminster, on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. On May 15 — 10 days after Merasty was last seen — her vehicle was found abandoned, repainted from black to silver, in James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Riou said there aren't any confirmed images of Merasty during the journey into the other provinces — only the car that belonged to her. Because Edmonton is the last place she was seen, EPS is leading the investigation and working with RCMP. Investigators are still looking into whether Merasty had connections to the places her car was spotted. Riou said police are seeking tips from all three provinces involved in the investigation. "Hopefully as we seek and gain more public information, continue to work with the family, we'll put together a better, broader picture with more details." Merasty's uncle Victor Michel said the family has a lot of hope that she's still alive. "We are hurt as a family, obviously ... We are seeking our girl. We want her home." Merasty often goes by Sikwan with her family members, aunt Noreen Merasty said. If anyone sees her, she said it might help to connect with her by speaking the family's Cree language. "Just tell her in Cree, like, 'It's OK. You don't need to be scared, you don't need to hide,'" she said. "We all love you," she said, then switching to Cree to tell her niece, "Come home now." Police say anyone who may have information about where Merasty is should contact EPS or report tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
