A report on a provincial police force released Oct. 28 still leaves a question over what municipalities will pay and what level of police say some local elected officials.
During a press conference last week, Justice Minister and Solicitor General Kaycee Madu called the report innovative and said it shows Alberta can have more “boots on the ground” for the same or less cost than what municipalities now pay for RCMP services.
“At the end of the day I am confident the cost we incur will be less for a provincial police force,” Madu said.
The report lays out a proposed six-year transition from RCMP services to a provincial police force. To view the full report click here.
Ottawa and Quebec have provincial police forces and Newfoundland and Labrador has a partial provincial police force.
The next step, Mad said, will be to tour the province again to consult with municipalities, crime watch groups, Indigenous and Métis groups and law enforcement agencies over the next year.
In a press release, the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) said it didn’t have an official position on the report and needed more time to analyze the 100-page document but expressed some preliminary concerns over losing federal funding for policing.
“Albertans deserve a fair deal from their provincial government when it comes to how our hard-earned tax dollars are spent on policing,” the release reads. “We are concerned that Alberta would forfeit about $160 million a year in federal funding for police services if it were to form a provincial police service.”
Cochrane mayor Jeff Genung said the report provides more information but said there are still many more questions to be answered, particularly what a provincial police force will cost municipalities.
Cochrane pays 90 per cent of its policing costs and 10 per cent is paid by the federal government.
“Unless we are going to be saving millions of dollars, I don’t understand why we would be looking to change something, that in my opinion, is working,” Genung said.
During meetings with Madu earlier this year, Genung said the need for a provincial police force was not raised.
“This was not something that was on our radar,” he said. “We have not at all been disappointed with the RCMP and the service they have provided. Cochrane is a safe community. Obviously, we still have some crime but when we bring those issues to the Inspector Brunner he is quick to respond. They put resources where we ask them to be pointed.”
Genung said he also questions if the Province take over and help pay for the $23 million protective services building under construction now.
Cochrane already has agreements with Calgary Police Services through the RCMP for use of the HAWCS helicopter and with RCMP units in the city. Genung said it might make sense for satellite communities to work together on policing with larger cities.
“There’s talk of provincial, but maybe we should be looking at a regional approach, perhaps where the communities that are surrounding Calgary could partner with Calgary City Police,” he said.
The Town will continue to discuss the issue and will continuing the conversation through the AUMA and will be looking for more information from the Province. The annual AUMA conference is taking place Nov. 17 to 19 in Edmonton.
“I think we have more information, but we need more yet,” Genung said. “I think if I were to speak to the minister he would say, just wait more is coming. So I think we need to patient, ask more questions, get informed and really understand what it is we are getting ourselves into or not.”
