Annual North Saskatchewan River sweep for missing persons to take place Wednesday
Police will be looking for human remains in the North Saskatchewan River valley on Wednesday.
The search by police, firefighters, city park rangers, and local search-and-rescue organizations is conducted annually in the fall when river levels are at their lowest.
"We start from pretty much Parkland County near Devon and we go almost all the way to Fort Saskatchewan," explained Insp. Brent Dahlseide of the major crimes unit Wednesday morning.
The distance covered will be about 75 kilometres.
Edmonton Police Service has led the search for about 10 years.
The North Saskatchewan River flows through a number of communities, and human remains are recovered from it or its shores each year.
The sweep is considered an unfortunate but necessary part of investigative work.
"Basically the whole search itself is to locate any known or unknown remains that may be in the river valley here. So this is missing persons that we've got reported to us, as well as any that may be unreported," Dahlseide said.
"Anything that we find today, obviously we're going to expand the investigation and continue to dig into that."
During the sweep, the river and its banks are assigned to searchers in a grid pattern. EPS and Edmonton Fire Rescue Service will be operating boats equipped with underwater cameras and sonar. As well, EPS will be using drones and its police service dog, Jolly, who is specially trained to find human remains, including those in water.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Video shows suspect setting Toronto-area barbershop on fire
Video of a suspect lighting a Richmond Hill barbershop on fire earlier this week has been released by police.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Premier Legault reiterates that McGill pro-Palestinian camp must be dismantled
Quebec Premier François Legault reiterated that the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University must be dismantled while police remain 'on the lookout for new developments.'
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
'I have the will to live': N.B. woman needs double lung transplant
A New Brunswick woman suffering from sarcoidosis, a disease that limits your lung capacity, is in need of a double lung transplant.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.