Alberta has a new top Mountie.
Alberta Justice says Assistant Commissioner Curtis Zablocki has been appointed the RCMP commanding officer for the province.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the RCMP to keep all Albertans safe,” Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley said in a news release on Friday. “Assistant Commissioner Zablocki knows our province well and has a depth of experience that he will bring to this important role leading Alberta’s provincial police service.
“He has served in Alberta for the bulk of his nearly three-decades-long career and carried out various duties, including deputy criminal operations officer at K Division in Alberta.”
Zablocki had been heading up the RCMP in Saskatchewan for the past two years.
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“I know we share a commitment to continuing the progress that the RCMP and the province have made in combating rural crime,” Ganley said of Zablocki.
When he assumes the new job he will be promoted to deputy commissioner.
He will be replacing Deputy Commissioner Todd Shean, who is retiring after 32 years of service.
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Watch below: In late 2017, Sarah Kraus spoke to the Alberta RCMP’s commander about how police are changing their tactics when it comes to rural crime.
“I want to thank outgoing Deputy Commissioner Todd Shean for his 32 years of dedicated public service,” Ganley said. “His many contributions as commanding officer of the RCMP include leading the development of the force’s rural crime-reduction strategy, which is already making a difference across our province.
“Deputy Commissioner Shean has served with distinction over the course of his career and I wish him a peaceful and happy retirement.”
–With files from Global News’ Phil Heidenreich