Keep Your Neighbourhood Safe with SCAN
Is there a suspicious property in your area? Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) can help.
SCAN is a unit of Alberta Sheriffs that strives to keep communities safe by investigating properties engaged in specific illegal activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution, child exploitation, and gang-related crime. SCAN ensures that you can safely and confidentially report suspicious properties.
How SCAN Works
When a resident reports suspicious property to SCAN, SCAN will open an investigation. After gathering relevant information, SCAN can:
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Issue a warning letter
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Mediate the dispute
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Help landlords facilitate evictions or resolutions
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Apply to the courts for a Community Safety Order that can
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Call for owners to meet a number of conditions, or
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Allow the property to be closed for up to 90 days
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Take any necessary measures to safely close the property
What to Look Out for
If a nearby property is being used for illegal activity, chances are you’ve noticed some common signs. While seeing the occasional sign doesn’t guarantee illegal activity is going on, when multiple signs happen together or often, illegal activities may exist.
Some common signs of illegal activity can include:
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Frequent visitors at all times of the day and night
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Frequent late-night activity
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Extensive home security
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People repeatedly visiting the property who only go to the door for a short time
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Strange odours coming from the house or garbage
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Putting garbage in a neighbours collection area
To confidentially report a suspicious property, contact SCAN toll-free at 1-866-960-SCAN (7226).
For more information on SCAN, visit https://www.alberta.ca/report-suspicious-property.