Charlottetown police to step up Canada Day patrols

Charlottetown city police are getting ready for a busy summer season, and it startsCanada Day.

Police say they will be stepping up downtown patrols this weekend with officers on foot, bicycle and in cruisers.

• Surveillance cameras being installed around Charlottetown

"We will see an increased police presence in and around Victoria Park," said Charlottetown deputy chief Gary McGuigan. "We will have an increased police presence in the downtown area as well as the waterfront area."

Noise complaints, intoxication

Charlottetown police say they willalso have officers in unmarked cars and in plain clothes. Police believe the forecast for good weather this weekend means crowds downtown could be large, too.

Police will also be doing road checks and will be monitoring security cameras mounted in public areas.

"We have a job to do, and if we do the job, people are going to enjoy the Canada Day weekend as it was meant to be," said McGuigan.

'We can scale operations up or down ... we expect to be busy' -GaryMcGuigan

The deputy chief says noise complaints and reports public intoxication are typically the most common incidents that require police action on summer nights. He expects this year will be no different.

"School's out, tourists are arriving, downtown is busy and there's a lotof road work going on," said McGuigan. "We can scale our operational plans up or down depending on the situation, but weexpect to be busy."