Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

These are challenging times for the world, and law enforcement agencies are not exempt from the taxing circumstances or the growing expectations of the community, whether that’s from a global or local perspective. Under greater scrutiny than perhaps ever before, policing in 2021 presents numerous potential perils which must be safely navigated. In his presentation, ‘Policing in Challenging Times’, the speaker will discuss the many and varied challenges facing the Lethbridge Police Service, ranging from the opioid crisis and resulting spin-offs, to policing during a pandemic and dealing with budget constraints in the face of rising crime rates. The discussion will also include both internal and external means to tackle those challenges. Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh will open his presentation by outlining the journey which brought him to a leadership role with the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS). Speaker: Shahin Mehdizadeh, Lethbridge Police Chief Sworn in as the Lethbridge Chief of Police in