‘Perfect storm’ led to problems at RibFest, Police Commission told

According to Lethbridge Police Chief Rob Davis, RibFest this year was a “perfect storm” for trouble to occur.

Davis was responding to questions at Wednesday’s Police Commission meeting arising from reports of problems at this year’s RibFest, which experienced higher instances of finding used needles and drug paraphernalia, aggressive panhandling, public drug consumption, theft and weapons-related issues.

Davis also confirmed many of the problems this year his officers responded to stemmed from public intoxication.

“It is my understanding it was Lethbridge Minor Hockey that had partnered with another company,” Davis told the Police Commission during Wednesday’s public meeting. “They had a parting of ways, and the individual who owned that other company marched to his own drum. So if you take the gaps that are already existing in the process, and compound it with this separation between Lethbridge Minor Hockey and this private event organizer, it was a perfect storm where there were issues.”

Davis said those gaps included options for the event’s organizer to go with private security companies instead of uniformed police officers, the fact it is the City not the police who issue permits for these events, and neither party, police nor City, can override, once a permit is issued, what the AGLC decides in its permissions.

“The City has no specific requirements with respect to the security personnel at any event,” stated Davis. “They can make recommendations, but it is ultimately up to the event organizer. In my experience, the event organizer will tend to go with private security companies because they are much cheaper than having to pay a police officer in that capacity.”

Davis confirmed liquor permits require one security person or police officer to every 50 attendees at public events where alcohol is served, as well as one officer at the entry and exit gates at all times. But with an open event like RibFest, Davis said it can be difficult to pre-determine how many people will actually come out, and therefore difficult to determine how many security personnel should be on site at any given time.

Davis was asked by commissioners if there is anything the LPS can do to head these problems off at future public events like RibFest. The short answer from a policing perspective, said Davis, is no — not under the existing system for granting permits for licensed public events. The LPS has no say on how a specific public event, like RibFest or any other in the City of Lethbridge, can be run when it doesn’t bump up against its specific jurisdiction, like vehicle traffic safety for example, confirmed Davis.

“Our function is to review (these applications),” said Davis. “We can make recommendations, but ultimately AGLC may decide we’re good with (granting a liquor licence for the event anyway).”