BARRHEAD - The County of Barrhead is one step closer to having its own community peace officer (CPO).
On Aug. 14, council authorized county manager Debbie Oyarzun to apply for authorization from the Alberta Solicitor General's office to employ peace officers.
She said the application was the last step the municipality needed to do before they could officially advertise the position. She also noted that the county could not hire a candidate until the Solicitor General's Office approved the application, a process that is expected to take about two weeks.
However, Oyarzun said that wouldn't be an issue as the process of finding the appropriate person would take several weeks.
Before being able to submit the application, council needed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the RCMP, which they authorised Oyarzun to do their behalf in the meeting.
She explained they needed the MOU to show the Solicitor General's office they were working with the local police force.
"It is a very legislated requirement," Oyarzun said, adding the requirements include a radio communications protocol, a section on CPO training responsibilities and the respective roles of the RCMP, the CPO and the municipality.
The document also requires that the county and RCMP meet annually to discuss any issues either party is having with the CPO program.
Background
The county opted in 2021 to create its own bylaw enforcement, citing the rising costs of contracting out the service and the limited amount of service they received.
Since 2009, the county has contracted out bylaw enforcement service, mostly with Lac Ste Anne County but also the Town of Barrhead, Westlock County, the Town of Mayerthorpe and more recently, the Town of Morinville.
The 2023 operating and capital budgets include funding for the CPO program. In June, council approved the purchase of a vehicle for the CPO. Oyarzun noted the vehicle will arrive in September.
However, once it comes, she noted it will still need the necessary equipment installed, such as a police console and with the associated wiring for lights and sirens, a radio and antenna, a laptop, and vehicle markings.
