By Chris Brown

Consultations on provincial police force will continue: Shandro

Jun 14, 2022 | 2:53 PM

Alberta’s justice minister says the province is moving ahead with its plans to create its own police force.

In a letter sent to media outlets today, Tyler Shandro says he will continue consultations with municipalities, stakeholders and Albertans over the summer.

Shandro says the current national RCMP policing model does not meet the expectations of Albertans.

“To keep our communities safe and to protect our way of life, Alberta needs police services that are well managed, properly resourced and accountable to local communities,” he says. Shandro adds the national policing model is bureaucratic and unaccountable.

He claims the proposed provincial model will increase the number of frontline police officers and civilian specialists in every detachment expand the use of mental health nurses and reduce the transfer of officers in and out of communities. He also says it will increase the ability of municipal governments to have a say in local policing, and be more cost-effective.

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A new provincial police force would not replace municipal or First Nation police services, Shandro says, and the province will actively support municipalities and First Nations that are interested in creating their own police service.

Municipalities would pay the same or less for a provincial police service compared to what they pay for the RCMP, he says, adding the federal model will require municipalities to pay a larger share of policing costs in the coming years.