By David Opinko / with files from The Canadian Press

Alberta RCMP head not supporting provincial police proposal

Aug 22, 2022 | 4:01 PM

The head of Alberta RCMP says a proposal by the provincial government to form its own police service has been a distraction and harmful to its members.

Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki says the idea has been hanging over the organization’s head for nearly two years and is having a negative effect on both morale and confidence.

Zablocki says the most recent proposal by the United Conservative government has a lot of similarities to what the RCMP already provides.

He says support from the public, as well as municipalities, has been strong and he hopes the Alberta government will seek input from the general public before making a final decision.

The Alberta government held a webinar on the future of policing on Monday, August 22, 2022, which included the former head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and other experts.

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Justice Minister Tyler Shandro said last week that the proposed policing model would provide more services and officers. He hopes to be able to add 275 additional front-line police officers to the smallest 42 detachments.

READ MORE: Alberta Government unveils provincial police proposal

Richard Fadden says policing remains a provincial responsibility and needs to be more accountable, though the power over the RCMP remains in Ottawa under the current model.

The idea of a new provincial police service in Alberta has proven to be controversial as Alberta Municipalities, which represents over 80% of the province’s 334 municipalities, formally declared its opposition earlier this year.

The Town of Coaldale, however, is supportive of it, as Mayor Jack Van Rijn told LNN back in May 2022 that the RCMP has been overcharging them for services for many years.

READ MORE: Coaldale mayor says town overcharged for RCMP services

“Today, we heard straight from the UCP government that their claims about guaranteeing costs can’t be trusted,” said Irfan Sabir, Alberta NDP Justice Critic.

“Before Tyler Shandro continues trying to sell a police force that Albertans and municipalities don’t want, he should at the very least be upfront about what it’s going to cost Albertans.”

“Albertans cannot trust the UCP when it comes to the future of policing,” said Sabir.

The Opposition says Shandro recently made the false claim that the UCP doesn’t have any control over budgeting or staffing of the RCMP in Alberta, when it says both are determined by the Government of Alberta.

“That is why Municipal Affairs Critic Joe Ceci and I are committing in writing to every Alberta municipality that an NDP government will reverse any UCP decision to scrap the RCMP,” said Sabir.

(With additional files from rdnewsNOW)