A woman lets out a loud and sudden scream. Just seconds earlier she was passed out on her back on a set of concrete steps at the base of a Calgary condo tower on Macleod Trail — half-a-block from Alpha House, a shelter that provides a place for people to sober up.

Calgary police acting Sgt. Greg Pisesky is trying to find out the woman's name — along with the six other people who've decided to crash here for the night. One of the men appears to be lying in a pool of his own urine.

"There are times when violations are laid, in this case I think our biggest thing is to get them into safety right now," said Pisesky.

Acting Sergeant Greg Pisesky explains their goal is to help non-violent intoxicated people get to a shelter where than can sober up. (Bryan Labby/CBC News)

He's part of the beat team in Calgary's central District 1. The unit was brought in eight years ago, and Pisesky, a 28-year police veteran, has been with the unit since the start. CBC News followed him and his partner as they navigated the streets of inner-city Calgary.

Public intoxication is one of the more common incidents officers on foot patrol will face on this night.

Public intoxication, drug overdoses and car crashes are some of the most common calls officers receive. 0:42

It's 2 a.m. back at the group on Macleod Trail and Pisesky and his partner decide they need some help identifying the individuals, so they call the DOAP team — the Downtown Outreach Addictions Partnership — a group of outreach workers dedicated to helping intoxicated people find a safe place to stay.

A First Nations woman arrives in one of the team's vans and is able to get a few names from the group.

Calgary police on the beat in the downtown came across a group of seven people intoxicated along Macleod Trail S. (Bryan Labby/CBC News)

Within minutes, three paramedics arrive to check on a man and a woman who are still unresponsive, while the others disperse to Alpha House, the Drop-In Centre or off into the night.

"We can only do what we can do. We try to talk to them when they're more sober to see if they can get into some rehabilitation and some do, don't get me wrong, some get out of this lifestyle, but it is a choice and it's a hard, hard life for them," said Pisesky.

Tickets and helping hands

A few hours earlier they helped a young woman who was face down in some rocks near one of the many bars along Tenth Avenue S.W. It was apparently her 18th birthday and her friends were with her, but not quite sure how to help. She was eventually helped into the back seat of a friend's car.

Members of the Calgary police beat team assist a young woman who was found passed out near a bar on Tenth Avenue S.W. (Bryan Labby/CBC News)

Pisesky and his partner decided to issue a $115 ticket to another man for drinking in public. It's not his first violation, as he was able to tell the officer the exact amount of the fine as his beer was poured out.

"I like to think that I have made a little bit of a difference, let's be realistic, you're not going to save the world, but if we can help one person, then we've done something," said Pisesky.

Calgary police acting Sgt. Greg Pisesky writes a $115 ticket for drinking alcohol in public. (Bryan Labby/CBC News)

It's the same goal for the two other District 1 officers CBC News recently followed. One of their calls was to remove an intoxicated homeless man planning to spend the night outside an apartment building in Chinatown.

"We could very well write that guy a ticket for being intoxicated in public, but is that in the best public interest? No. We're just going to try to get him to a safe place [where] he can sleep it off for the evening," said Cst. Travis Westlake.

Calgary police escort a man to the Drop-In Centre. He was found intoxicated outside a condo building in Chinatown. (Bryan Labby/CBC News)

It's not all drunkenness though. Westlake and his partner, Cst. Adam Rumsey attended a car crash, a possible heroin overdose and faced a potentially hostile situation while serving a 70-year-old man with a promise to appear in court on a charge of threatening a city employee.

The man was belligerent at times, raised his voice and at one point shouted: "You want my death? Take me!" Officers left him with the document and went on their way.

Calgary police serve a promise to appear in court to a 70 year old man accused of threatening a city employee. (Bryan Labby/CBC News)

Downtown crime shows slight decline

Statistics released by Calgary police show a slight decline in some crimes committed in the downtown core. Through the first four months of this year, the numbers show fewer street robberies as well as social and physical disorder calls.

On mobile? Click here to see changing crime stats.

Not all officers are feeling a reprieve. Some of them have told CBC News they're frustrated shifts are not fully staffed on some nights. They say it not only impacts morale, but response times for lower priority calls.

One of the many calls early on June 3rd, was this motor vehicle collision on Ninth Avenue S.E. in downtown Calgary. (Bryan Labby/CBC News )

They're also frustrated a recruit class of 24 new officers for this year was postponed and hasn't been re-scheduled.

The officers who voiced their concerns didn't want their names used.

'Clear vacancies'

The inspector for District 1 doesn't dispute the complaints, but he wants his officers to know as many as 12 new frontline positions will be filled by the fall.

"We do have teams right now that just aren't fully staffed for a number of reasons, there's just clear vacancies in some of those positions," said Insp. Ryan Ayliffe.

"We're listening, we're very supported by our executive, we're getting bodies," said Ayliffe.

"Calls for service are important, the frontline is definitely a focus of the chief's," he added.

Insp. Ryan Ayliffe is committed to filling at least 12 front line policing vacancies in District 1 by the fall. (Bryan Labby/CBC News)