Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers answering dangerous police calls deserve more money: AUPE

The union that represents fish and wildlife officers in Alberta says the province wants them to take on some of the most dangerous parts of police work without increasing their pay.

Mike Dempsey of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees said the United Conservative government is breaking a promise it made to 115 officers that they would receive more money for the added risk of being first responders when police aren’t around.

Last fall, the province announced that about 400 fish and wildlife officers, sheriffs and commercial vehicle officers would be made available to assist the RCMP.

The government said the move was made to increase the resources available to fight rural crime.

Fish and wildlife officers have since been supplied with semi-automatic rifles and body armour.

Dempsey said job classifications released last week suggest the job won’t change much and neither will the pay.

“The government has found money to buy extra rifles and body armour, which shows they recognize the increased risk,” Dempsey said in a statement.

“They have found money for computers, office equipment, training and retrofitting vehicles. But there isn’t a penny for the people doing the dangerous work.”

He said the government should either admit the officers won’t be responding to police calls or pay them comparably to the RCMP.

Alberta Justice was not immediately available for comment.

Last week, Alberta Fish and Wildlife announced it was being merged with Alberta Sheriffs and would now be called the Alberta Sheriffs – Conservation Services. The enforcement agency said the change was in name only and its mandate to conserve and protect wildlife remained the same.