A new partnership between Okotoks and the MD of Foothills will mean more efficient enforcement on boundary roads. The two municipalities have worked out a joint enforcement agreement, which will allow municipal enforcement from either community to have jurisdiction on roads surrounding Okotoks, as well as the entirety of Riverbend Campground west of town. “It really came as a result of the annexation that recently took place,” said Ryan Payne, community services director for the MD of Foothills. “Once that annexation happened and there were new boundaries we had Riverbend Campground, which is now split between the two jurisdictions, half in the MD and half in Okotoks.” He said it did prove to be an issue on at least one occasion, shortly after annexation was approved in June 2017, when a complaint came in from someone in the campground. Boundary lines are not always clear when officers are out in the field, so having an agreement that allows both parties to enforce laws in the entire campground and on roads surrounding Okotoks makes sense, he said. It made sense for municipal enforcement agencies to have a joint enforcement agreement, as other agencies already had similar arrangements in place, he said. “We’re covered off well on our other emergency service – fire and emergency management both have mutual aid agreements in place that allow us to co-ordinate efforts on fire-related or flood issues,” said Payne. According to the Peace Officers Act, municipalities must have an agreement in place in order to cross boundary lines at any time, he said. That includes both enforcement on property or with regards to traffic violation. It also stipulates the municipalities must work together. “One of the requirements of the Peace Officers Act is that we’re clear on our communication on issues across jurisdiction as well, so there’s this sense of collaboration that we’ll have to carry forward as we provide a joint service along those boundaries,” said Payne. Whichever municipal enforcement agency responds to an incident or call would handle the complaint or violation and issue tickets as necessary, he said. That same agency would then be responsible for any follow-up, he said.
