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Calgary police are aiming for safe celebrations along 17th Avenue as the Calgary Flames head to the NHL playoffs.

The safety plan for the Red Mile includes deploying officers in a “meet and greet” crowd-management style, with police walking around the area and talking to people.

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The service’s policing focus during 17th Avenue playoff celebrations will be on risk management and de-escalation, the Calgary police commission heard during an update Tuesday evening.

There will also be officers in the crowd specifically to gather evidence and be witnesses — something the agency learned from what happened in Vancouver after the 2011 Stanley Cup riot, deputy chief Ryan Ayliffe said.

“With their looking for a year, or over a year, to figure out who caused all that damage — if we get into a situation like that, obviously public safety first, but we do have officers on the ground, ready to deploy to start capturing evidence to follow up on those kind of offences,” Ayliffe said.