While it isn’t the Alberta Police Service, the United Conservative Party government is looking to help at least one municipality replace the RCMP.
Alberta’s public safety minister says no decision has been made on whether the province will move forward with its own police force, but it is looking at other immediate options to help improve safety and reduce response times in rural Alberta.
“For me, when you’re in rural Alberta and somebody calls 911, I have an expectation (that) police show up and respond in a timely matter,” Mike Ellis told Global News.
Is this changing the Alberta government’s focus on a provincial police service?
“I wouldn’t say anything is on the backburner, but I will say all options are on the table,” Ellis said.
The province is partnering with municipalities to help them with costs related to starting their own municipal police services.
“It’s about saying: ‘What’s the best needs for that municipality?’ In some cases, there are some municipalities that have reached out to us and made it explicitly clear, saying: ‘We are content with the current model that we have,'” Ellis added.
Grande Prairie has been mulling the idea of starting its own municipal police service. If the city proceeds, then Alberta will provide it with close to $10 million over two years. That money would go towards start-up costs like equipment, vehicles and uniforms.
The province is expected to officially announce this on Wednesday.
Other municipalities have reportedly shown interest in also starting their own police departments. Ellis says the government will do what it can to help.
Political scientist Lori Williams says this approach represents a bit of a shift from the province — one that’s less confrontational than its original plan.
“I think in some respects this makes more sense than the agenda that the government appeared to be pursuing for some time against the wishes of the majority of municipalities in rural regions in Alberta,” she said.
In August 2022, the UCP government outlined its plan for what an Alberta Police Service would look like.
Justice Minister Tyler Shandro said it would add 275 front-line officers to 42 small detachments.
He said a made-in-Alberta police force would provide better policing for all regions, including improved response times.
Alberta NDP justice critic Irfan Sabir said, in a statement, that the UCP should be focusing on the rising costs of living.
“Danielle Smith is still pushing ahead with her reckless plan to scrap the RCMP that will add hundreds of millions of dollars of additional costs onto Albertans and do nothing to improve safety in our communities.
“Municipalities and Albertans across the province are opposed to a provincial police force, but the UCP refuses to listen. This is yet another example of how the UCP is not focused on Albertans and has the wrong priorities.”
Alberta’s contract with the RCMP expires in 2032.
Meantime, the Rural Municipalities of Alberta — which has long been against the idea of a provincial police force — still isn’t sure whether moving away from the RCMP is the right move.
“We cannot stress enough that I’m not sure the RCMP is the big issue here and I’m not sure that policing is the issue,” Kara Westerlund with the RMA said.
“The start-up costs and those one-time costs are a drop in the bucket compared to what’s coming down the pipe later in the future,” she added.
“It’s still feeling like the choice is already being pre-determined, and what that’s going to look like.”
Ellis will be in Grande Prairie alongside Mayor Jackie Clayton on Wednesday.