Wes Allison (right) was formally sworn in by Ponoka Mayor Kevin Ferguson (left) this week as a Community Peace Officer for the Town of Ponoka. (Town of Ponoka)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Wes Allison

Community Peace Officer sworn in by Ponoka Mayor

Oct 14, 2022 | 4:35 PM

After receiving his official appointment as a Community Peace Officer (CPO) from the Province of Alberta, Wes Allison was formally sworn in as Ponoka’s new CPO by Ponoka Mayor Kevin Ferguson this past Tuesday.

Since joining the Town of Ponoka full time in June, Town officials say Allison has been spending most of his time doing enforcement and education of Town Bylaws. With his official appointment as a CPO, he is now dually-appointed as both a CPO and Bylaw Officer, and can broaden his responsibilities to include duties such as:

• Traffic safety enforcement on Town roads (and provincial highways when invited to assist the RCMP or Sheriffs);
• Commercial vehicle inspections;
• Continuing to educate citizens on the requirements of Town bylaws and provincial legislation, and providing enforcement when needed; and
• Continuing to listen and respond to bylaw concerns, requests and questions from citizens.

“Education will continue to be a major part of my role,” said CPO Allison. “I will also continue reaching out to connect with citizens and listen to their feedback as I continue working on developing a CPO program to best serve the needs of our community,” he added.

Officials say CPO Allison also plans to go door-to-door to introduce himself to local businesses to provide assistance and support on crime prevention in the Town of Ponoka. The CPO role was approved by Ponoka town council this past February, as the position aligns with council’s strategic priorities of service excellence, improving the quality of life for Ponoka residents, and supporting public safety.

220+ BUSINESSES

Red Deer Home Show ready to educate and enthrall

18h ago

Safety reminders

Red Deer RCMP reminds public of daylight savings time safety considerations

21h ago

Significant upgrade

Safe Harbour Society to provide 150 beds for shelter guests

22h ago

“As Ponoka grows, the need for a CPO grows, which includes increased bylaw and traffic safety enforcement and education, as well as community engagement. We’re pleased to have Wes serving the community full time as both a CPO and Bylaw Officer,” said Town of Ponoka Chief Administrative Officer Sandra Lund.

If residents would like to contact the CPO, please submit your question or concern through the Online Service Request button on the Town’s website at www.ponoka.ca. Scroll down and click on ‘File an Online Service Request’ or phone the Town Office at 403-783-4431 for assistance in submitting your request.

Town officials say CPO Allison has been a resident of Ponoka for 16 years. He worked as a Sheriff for the Province of Alberta in Red Deer before serving as a Community Peace Officer for Camrose County for the past 10 years.

For more information about the role of a Community Peace Officer, please visit www.alberta.ca/peace-officersoverview.aspx.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the rdnewsNOW newsletter here. You can also download the rdnewsNOW mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.