Drug house shut down in northeast Edmonton 'significant drain' on police resources

Alberta Sheriffs investigators have shut down a drug house that was the location of a 2017 homicide in northeast Edmonton.

The house at 11838 54th St. in the Newton neighbourhood had 31 police visits in 2017 alone, including a homicide on Aug. 2 when a 49-year-old man was fatally stabbed during a fight in the front yard.

• Man dead after stabbing in northeast Edmonton

Police were also called to the residence in July 2017 after a woman was shot and injured.

At that time, the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit of the Alberta Sheriffs Branch warned the property owner they would close the house if criminal activity continued.

On Wednesday, the Alberta government said SCAN investigators and Edmonton police obtained a court order on March 15 giving them authorities to close the property for 90 days.

"This is a last resort," SCAN Insp. Chip Sawchuksaid Wednesday. "We don't want to displace people from their houses if we don't have to, but in a case like this, we had to.

"There was no other option. This was becoming a dangerous and prolific drug house."

The property has been boarded up and fenced. The order also bans the property owner from having any visitors or tenants for two years without approval from SCAN.

Edmonton police Staff Sgt. David Goodkeysaid complaints didn't justcome from neighbours. He expects many people to be relieved by the closure.

"It wasn't just within this one block area. There's a school that's two blocks away," Goodkey said."118th Avenue is just a block away. There's a number of people that use this road. It's a main thoroughfare.

"The crime, disorder and untidiness of this residencehad an effect on everybody. They're quite happy to see it being dealt with, and dealt with in a permanent way."

The 31 calls to the residence in 2017 included drug calls, disturbances, assaults and the homicide.

After the 90-day closure ends, and if criminal incidents continue the homeownercould face more repercussions.

"We can lay charges in the [Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods]act, but we also have the ability to seek another closure of the property," Sawchuk said.

SCAN has investigated more than 4,200 properties across Alberta in the past 10 years. Of those investigations it hasissued 72 community safety orders.