Report explores provincial police service

By Rob Vogt, Local Press Writer
An independent report was released last week that says it shows creating a made-in-Alberta provincial police service is realistic, cost-effective and worth serious further consideration, but Alberta’s official opposition disagrees on how much it will cost.
According to the provincial government, the report was
released to the public on Oct. 29 and explores the operational needs, processes and potential transition costs. It puts forward a provincial model that would put more front-line personnel in communities across Alberta at a total cost equal to, or lower than, the total cost of the RCMP contract policing model used in Alberta.
The government added the policing model presented proposes innovative approaches to service delivery and governance that have the potential to better address the root causes of crime through built-in partnerships with mental health and addictions professionals. The report also proposes establishing a provincial police commission and commissions at the local level to increase accountability and ensuring a governance role for Indigenous people. A key
element of the report is an
enhancement of community policing with an increased
emphasis on local recruiting and retention.
The official opposition has some serious concerns about the report.
In a release issued on Oct. 29, the opposition said a United Conservative Party-commissioned report on a possible provincial police force glosses over hundreds of millions of dollars in new costs for Alberta taxpayers.
“Almost $200 million in federal funding will be given up if we move to a provincial force,” said Irfan Sabir, opposition critic for justice. “On top of this, the UCP’s own report says it will cost $366 million in up-front transition costs alone. So while the minister twists himself into knots to claim there will not be any additional costs for Albertans, this is simply not true.
“Don’t forget that the UCP already dumped $286 million in additional costs on rural taxpayers through their new rural policing model. That will either mean less service or higher taxes for Albertans.
“So let’s be clear: this is a sneaky plan to raise Albertans’ taxes.”
The opposition has been copied on numerous letters from rural municipalities calling on Kaycee Madu, justice minister, to drop the provincial police idea. A survey conducted by the government’s own Fair Deal Panel suggested only 35 per cent of Albertans support it.
At a press conference for rural media on Oct. 29, Madu said he travelled the province from July to September and heard concerns about adequate response times by police and the distance from detachments to people.
He said the province has a
responsibility to ensure all Albertans have the same level of service.
Madu was also careful to say the issue is with the police structures in place, not the RCMP who he described as hard-working officers he has the utmost respect for.
“All of the decisions get to be made by Ottawa,” he said. “That has to change.”
He was asked if he received any letters from municipalities supporting the transition to a provincial police service.
Madu said he mostly received letters supporting the RCMP, but cautioned those letters do not address the problems on the ground.
He later added municipalities are most concerned about added cost, and the report confirms there is a cost-effective model of provincial policing.
Madu was also asked what the goal of the provincial police force would be.
He responded to tackle rural crime, increase response times, work with other service providers, and preserve the province’s best interests.
He also pointed to Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario who already have their own provincial police.
Another question he was asked is that some communities are waiting for new detachments to be built. Will they now just wait until the province takes over?
Madu replied those projects will not be affected in a negative way.
“In fact, I want to build more detachments closer to our citizens,” he said.
When asked about the province losing $200 million from Ottawa and a $300-million-plus transition cost to a provincial police service, Madu said he would make sure the provincial government makes up that difference for better law
enforcement and safer communities.