With the NHL playoffs set to start next week, Calgary police say they are prepared for the ‘C or Red’ to flood 17th Avenue S.W., also known as the Red Mile.
Officers will once again be using a “meet-and-greet” strategy, said Acting Insp. Claire Smart, meaning they will be deployed among the crowds, interacting with fans.
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“Police like to have fun, we’re citizens of Calgary ourselves. This is supposed to be an enjoyable time,” she said.
“We don’t want to go down there and just start enforcing and arresting people, that is not our goal. Our goal is to go down there and make sure everybody is safe, everybody is respected, looking after each other and having a great time.”
Police will also be wearing body cameras.
“This is for the protection of the public, as well as our police officers,” said Smart.
A 10-block stretch of 17th Avenue running from 4th Street to 14th Street S.W., the ‘Red Mile’ gained popularity during the Flames’ memorable 2004 playoff run that saw them make it to the Stanley Cup final, with crowds of up to 50,000 converging after each game.
However, as can happen with gatherings that large, there was some bad behaviour.
Most infractions involve public consumption of alcohol, along with things like indecent exposure and causing a disturbance, said Smart. There are also more serious incidents like assaults, something police hope to limit this time around, said Smart.
“It’s a minority of people that like to cause issues, if we’re able to get ahead of that, we’re able to minimize the risk,” she said.
Crowds haven’t grown that large since, but Smart said police will be ready for any eventuality.
Source: CTV News Calgary
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