More charges dropped against Brent Habetler in Lloydminster court

By Lisa Joy SASKTODAY.ca

Two more charges have been dropped against Sir Brent Adair Habetler who is accused of committing an indecent act at the Lloydminster swimming pool last month.

Charges of failing to comply with a release order and possession of property under $5,000 have also been withdrawn by the Crown.

Court records show that on March 14 Habetler was charged with failing to comply with conditions by being at a children’s day home and possession of a

T-shirt that belonged to someone else.

On March 13 Sir Brent Adair Habetler was charged with mischief for willfully obstructing, interrupting or interfering with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of the community swimming pool. The mischief charge was withdrawn by the Crown in the Lloydminster Alberta Court of Justice on April 4.

The charge of committing an indecent act in a public place in the presence of one or more persons with intent to insult or offend a person wasn’t withdrawn and Habetler is back in court on that charge May 2. The accusation against him hasn’t been tested in court.

November 2022 Throne Speech, the Government of Saskatchewan will invest $1.6 million in the 2023-24 Budget to establish an additional WEST stationed in Prince Albert. This represents an expansion from one team, currently operating out of Meadow Lake and Saskatoon, to two, which will further enable WEST to respond and deploy province wide. The province is also investing an additional $1.6 million in the 202324 budget to establish a new CRT in the Battlefords region, bringing the total number of CRTs operating in the province from nine to 10. There are currently already three municipal CRTs [Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon] and six RCMP CRTs [La Ronge, Prince Albert, Meadow Lake, Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Lloy- dminster].

“These teams have already proven their value in a very short timeframe,” said Tell. “Whether it’s apprehending violent offenders or removing drugs and guns from our communities, these teams make our province a safer place to live for everyone—and that’s something this government will continue to invest in.”

WEST was launched in April 2022 with a mandate to target high-profile offenders who are a significant threat to public safety, such as gang members and violent offenders with outstanding warrants. In January and February of 2023 alone, WEST has made 13 arrests, had 11 criminal charges laid, and seized $10,000 in cash and property. The new team is expected to be operational in late 2023-24 and will consist of eight RCMP officers, one analyst and one administrative support position.

The CRT’s mandate is to target street gangs and prolific offenders and to respond to urban and rural crime surges as needed. The new unit will consist of eight RCMP officers, one analyst and one administrative support position and is expected to be operational in late 202324. In addition to the recent seizures in Prince Albert mentioned above, through January and February of this year CRTs have made 88 arrests, laid 256 criminal charges, and seized over $158,000 in cash and property.

STRT is a specialized intelligence-led enforcement team mandated to investigate drug, weapon and human trafficking.