Alberta’s Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro. (Government of Alberta)

By Justin Goulet/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Province providing funding to add more officers to First Nations police services

Jun 24, 2022 | 10:29 AM

EDMONTON – The Government of Alberta is lending its support to Indigenous police services across the province.

The government is unilaterally funding 15 new police officers for three First Nations police services. The Blood Tribe, Tsuut’ina Nation and Lakeshore Regional police services will each be able to hire five new officers. Funding for Indigenous police services is usually paid through the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program. Under the federally administered program, 52 per cent of funding is provided by the Canadian government and 48 per cent comes from the provinces.

The federal government has frozen the program for more than two years as it completes an overhaul. Rather than wait for that to be done, the Government of Alberta is funding the total cost for 15 new officers. Alberta is also providing $150,000 to address short-term gaps created by the wait for reforms, along with a recruiting strategy for the new officers.

The provincial government has called on Ottawa to expedite its review. The province would also like to see the current program reopened to allow for increased funding for First Nations police services and to allow for applications from First Nations seeking to establish a new police service.

Alberta’s Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro said, “every community in Alberta needs adequate policing resources to ensure the safety and security of residents is protected.”

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“With this new funding for more officers, Alberta is stepping up to fill in the federal shortfall and work with our First Nations partners towards a safer province for everyone who calls this land home.”

Lakeshore Regional Police Service, the Blood Tribe Police Service and Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service serve seven First Nation communities and currently have 62 sworn police officers.

The new officers will be phased into the three First Nations policing services over the next four years.

The provincial government news conference, announcing the support, can be viewed below.