EDMONTON, Alta. – Inspectors employed by Alberta infrastructure recently completed the same self-defense training course given to police officers. In addition, they have also been issued with bullet-proof vests, pepper spray, handcuffs and batons.

According to Steve Callahan, executive director, Inspection Services, the new equipment and training is intended to help protect inspectors who often work alone in isolated areas at odd hours. But Callahan admits that he can point to no recent hostile incident or department statistics that suggest such measures are necessary. n