Alberta’s formal creation of an independent police agency is getting mixed responses from stakeholders, as some believe it is a positive change, while others have concerns over the lack of details. Read More
Alberta’s formal creation of an independent police agency is getting mixed responses from stakeholders, as some believe it is a positive change, while others have concerns over the lack of details. Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) president Kara Westerlund said the province’s announcement last week came as a surprise, as the RMA was not consulted
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Alberta’s formal creation of an independent police agency is getting mixed responses from stakeholders, as some believe it is a positive change, while others have concerns over the lack of details.
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Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) president Kara Westerlund said the province’s announcement last week came as a surprise, as the RMA was not consulted or given notice. She said the new provincial police agency will not solve the ongoing crime in rural communities, and the province should instead focus on addressing the judicial system and repeat offenders.
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“At the end of the day, if you’ve got more officers or boots on the ground, there should be an increase in service level. The issue, and what I will keep pushing back on, is there is no plan,” Westerlund said.
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At a press conference on July 2, the province appointed Calgary Police Service deputy chief Sat Parhar as the first chief of the new police agency, which will be named the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service. It will operate as an independent Crown corporation with its head office in Calgary.
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The province did not disclose the cost of the agency or a timeline for its rollout.
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Provincial police force is an “inevitability”
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Dan Jones, a retired police officer and chair of NorQuest College’s Justice Studies program, said moving to a provincial police force is an “inevitability,” pointing to the RCMP policing contract set to end in 2032.
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He said while policing in urban cities like Edmonton and Calgary will not change, rural communities that have struggled with crime would benefit.
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“It can be a positive if it’s done right, and part of it is a staffing issue,” Jones said.
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“The RCMP staffing isn’t always what they’re saying. It’s not being deceptive, it’s just that they have people on leave or people going different places … I think it’s an opportunity to fulfill that policing duty in the province of Alberta.”
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He said having RCMP officers on leave or otherwise unavailable creates a policing shortage, which often results in delayed response times, a concern rural communities have voiced. Jones said the change would allow the RCMP to focus on federal policing, which he believes they’re more suited for.
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At a press conference on July 2, Premier Danielle Smith said there are currently more than 2,000 sheriffs categorized as peace officers who do prisoner transports and other specialized services. Of the 2,000, she said 650 are “trained up” at a level where they could be categorized as police.