Decommissioned police equipment from Alberta headed to Ukraine

Calgary Police Service Const. Arthur Rekshta (left) and Const. Pavel Adaikin (right) with Aourika Lioutenko of Calgary's Ukrainian community and items donated by CPS members for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. (Supplied/Calgary Police Service)

Several police services in Alberta have gathered a stockpile of equipment, which includes clothing, boots, helmets and body armour, to be sent to help Ukraine in its battle against Russia.

The provincial government says the donations come as the result of a campaign spearheaded by Calgary Police Service employees.

More than 450 kilograms of items – boots, pants, shirts, tuques, gloves and socks – were gathered in bins at CPS offices across the city during the initiative.

Justice Minister Tyler Shandro says he is "not surprised" at the outpouring of support from law enforcement.

"I'd like to thank the Calgary Police Service for organizing the recent donation drive among its members, as well as the Alberta police services that are currently gathering equipment for another humanitarian shipment to Ukraine. I'm proud of them and grateful for their efforts," he said in a release.

Mark Neufeld, Calgary's chief of police, says the donations will "make a world of difference" where they are needed overseas.

"We are part of a larger global family and will support our Ukrainian policing partners in any way we can," he said.

In March, the Calgary donations were packed on board a flight headed to Poland, but the Edmonton Police Service added 60 sets of soft body armour, 98 hard armour plates and a number of ballistic helmets.

"Sending tactical equipment to Ukraine is just one way we can provide support," said Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee.

"The impacts of this crisis have been felt deeply within our service and across the larger community in Edmonton, and we hope that this can make even the smallest difference for those in need abroad."

SECOND SHIPMENT BEING COORDINATED

More police services, having learned about the CPS donations, have stepped up to share their own surplus equipment with Ukraine.

While the age and technical specifications of the items meant they were not fit for service domestically, officials say it will still provide protection.

The following police services have provided donations for Ukraine:

Camrose Police Service (40 body armour vests, 15 pairs of boots and 10 jackets);l

Lakeshore Regional Police Service (15 sets of decommissioned soft body armour);

Lethbridge Police Service (40 sets of body armour equipped with plates, 25 pairs of boots);

Medicine Hat Police Service (51 armour plates); and

Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service (seven sets of soft body armour).

Donations of surplus equipment from the Alberta RCMP are being coordinated through the service's main headquarters in Ottawa, the province said.

All police insignias and identifying marks have been removed prior to shipment.