The quality of life, safety and security of Edmonton’s more than one million residents are the top priorities for the Edmonton Police Service (EPS). The latest example – an annual policing plan outlining policing priorities and performance targets developed last year saw crime decrease by more than two per cent, despite the slowing economy and other environmental factors.

The service continued to work towards its goal of reducing crime and victimization by responding to priority one calls within seven minutes, 90 per cent of the time; dedicating 25 per cent of patrol time to proactive activities; and working closely with community partners.

Although the odour of raw marijuana may be sufficient to justify an arrest, if the judge doesn’t believe the officer smelled it the arrest is unlawful and the evidence may be thrown out.

In R. v. Noel, 2010 NBCA 28, a police officer, accompanied by a specially trained drug-sniffing dog, saw a vehicle traveling at a speed slightly in excess of the posted limit and decided to stop it and warn the driver. A license plate query indicated “no record found” and Noel, the lone occupant, was pulled over