WESTLOCK – The independent, UCP-ordered report on the feasibility of a provincial police force, released Oct. 29, has failed to impress local politicians.
Town of Westlock mayor Ralph Leriger was previously critical about the government’s exploration of a provincial police force, saying that the issues lay in the justice system and not in policing.
The study outlined a transition price tag of around $366 million alongside a six-year implementation period, money Leriger says could be used elsewhere.
“When you have limited resources, you need to be careful where you are spending those resources,” said Leriger Oct. 30. “You need to spend it on what system is the most broken.”
A provincial police force will not make streets any safer, said Leriger, who plans to review the report alongside town councillors and gather opinions and concerns from residents before determining what to do next.
“I don’t know what it will take, but I will have to see something to convince me that changing the stripes on our police’s uniform and the logo on their cruisers will have an impact on criminal activities.”
While approaching the report with an open mind, he hopes the provincial government will listen to the concerns of rural communities, a belief that is echoed by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) which said in a release Friday, “if all Albertans must pay for something, then all Albertans must have a say in the decision.”
“If there are any significant changes meant to occur to our system, my expectation is that there is sincere and meaningful consultation with communities,” said Leriger.
The topic of creating a provincial police force has been top of mind for many local politicians since the study was commissioned. Many municipalities have been seeking support for their position of keeping the RCMP as the province’s official police force, with dozens of letters coming across council tables throughout Alberta.
During the last term, the Town of Westlock made its support for the RCMP clear, as did the Town of Barrhead, County of Barrhead and Athabasca County. The Town of Athabasca, though it was discussed at length several times in the last months of the term, did not take an official position.
AUMA concerned about costs
Following the government's release, AUMA released a statement saying they will need time to review and analyze its contents before issuing specific comments.
While waiting to review the study, AUMA expressed concern that some important questions were not asked and some key information is missing.
One piece in particular that caught the group’s attention was the $160-170 million Alberta receives each year in federal funding for police services. If a provincial force was implemented, this money could be lost, leaving Albertans to fill the financial hole left.
“Albertans deserve a fair deal from their provincial government when it comes to how our hard-earned tax dollars are spent on policing,” AUMA stated.
Costs and timeline
Currently, the RCMP costs Alberta $672 million yearly. The Alberta government pays $318 million with another $176 million coming from municipalities and the federal government contributing $170 million.
The new provincial police force, if implemented, will reportedly cost Alberta between $734 million and $759 million annually, in addition to the $366 million in transition costs over six years. This funding would cover 113 detachments, over 4,000 full-time employees and over 1,000 public service employees
The report does not account for the $170 million received annually from the federal government for policing, which could be forfeited if a provincial police force is implemented.
The implementation period is expected to take around six years with a hefty price tag of around $366 million. The implementation period seeks to slowly ease RCMP out of the province while replacing them with a provincial force. The report plans to start small, replacing up to three detachments at first before expanding.
According to the report, 47 municipalities accounting for around 42 per cent of the province utilize the federal RCMP. While communities like Westlock have expressed opposition to the change previously, the provincial government believes it can improve service in areas that utilize the federal body.
The Albertan government says the next steps will be to conduct an extensive stakeholder engagement, starting this month. Following that, they plan to meet with municipalities, First Nations and Metis communities, law enforcement organizations and public safety partners such as victim services groups to answer any questions and concerns.
“This is not a done deal,” assured Alberta Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Kaycee Madu during a press conference Oct. 29. “Your government has made no decision whatsoever to replace to RCMP.”
The province has promised a public survey regarding the change in early 2022
