By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Lacombe backs AUMA call for changes to police funding model

Mar 1, 2018 | 9:55 AM

The City of Lacombe is putting its support behind the AUMA’s call for a better police funding model.
 
A letter writing campaign by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association is asking communities to support a model where every municipality pays something for policing. Currently, rural communities under 5,000 people and counties pay zero towards policing.

Lacombe is unique to Central Alberta in that it has its own police force and pays 100 per cent of its policing costs. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, according to Mayor Grant Creasey.

“Some people who have approached me seem to think this [letter campaign] is somehow a way of squeezing more money out of rural citizens and that is certainly not the case,” Creasey says. “I think they recognize that while they do not pay for police services, they also receive a level of service that is not necessarily acceptable. I think they see room for improvement and they are willing to pay accordingly.”

In 2018, The City of Lacombe will spend $4.6 million on policing. However, it will receive just over $300,000 from the province in separate grant funding that will go toward policing costs.

Acting CAO Matthew Goudy shares Creasey’s thoughts on the issue.

2024 Spring Rocket League Tournament

St. Patrick's Community School Esports team wins top spot in national tournament

13h ago

update

Mistrial declared in case against Red Deer massage therapist

18h ago

Rev it!

City of Red Deer offers free decibel reading event this Saturday

19h ago

“Some of the frustration or the drive for AUMA’s advocacy here is more suitable to smaller municipalities where the local RCMP detachment is providing service both within the municipal boundaries and beyond,” Goudy says. “Here in the city of Lacombe, certainly we have a disproportionate funding model than say, to Lacombe County, but we also receive a higher level of service.”

A number of other local councils have also signed on to the AUMA campaign in recent weeks.

The province says any consultations on changes to the current model for police funding likely won’t happen until after the next provincial election in 2019.