The Grande Prairie RCMP detachment. Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall, RCMP

Alberta RCMP Commanding Officer says he, local members, disappointed Grande Prairie going to municipal police service

Mar 7, 2023 | 1:32 PM

The head of RCMP in Alberta has issued a statement saying he and Grande Prairie detachment members are “naturally disappointed” in city council’s decision to go ahead with a municipal police service.

Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki, the Commanding Officer of the “K” Division, says RCMP will continue their contracted service to Grande Prairie during the transition period, which is expected to take five years.

Zablocki says he’s heard from people in the community about what he calls “the respect and appreciation” people here and in other communities have for the RCMP and that they will continue to serve residents of Grande Prairie until the transition is complete.

The entire statement appears below:

Alberta RCMP Commanding Officer’s statement regarding Grande Prairie transition to municipal police service.

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While we support the responsibility of municipal leaders to evaluate their community services and listen to what their citizens want and need, I and the members of the Grande Prairie RCMP Detachment are naturally disappointed in this decision. We have been proud to live, work and serve in Grande Prairie.

The RCMP will continue in their contract service for the Grande Prairie region during the transition period. That transition will be a multi-year process, and we will be working with the City of Grande Prairie, Public Safety Canada and the Province of Alberta to establish a plan.

Throughout this process, I have heard about the respect and appreciation the communities have for the work of our employees, and I hear that repeated around the province. Their work is valued and appreciated. Going forward, we will continue to focus on maintaining our strong partnerships in the province and on serving Grande Prairie residents and the surrounding community.

Keeping Albertans safe and serving the people and communities of our province remains our top priority. I am proud of our employees’ hard work and dedication not only in Grande Prairie but across the province.

Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki, M.O.M.
Commanding Officer, “K” Division RCMP

Meantime, the National Police Federation, which represents ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally, released the following statement in response:

“The majority Council decision to transition away from the Grande Prairie RCMP has been entirely politically motivated, when politics have no place in policing decisions.

This transition has been widely promoted and presented through rose-coloured glasses with little to no true consideration of overall transition costs, recruitment and retention, training, or technology and equipment – which we highlighted a little more than a week ago when we learned that Council had already signaled its intention to proceed a transition without proper consultation or resources. True fiscal responsibility requires a hard look at the potential issues and opportunities of such a significant transition, including the real-world experience of other jurisdictions.

We expressed our concerns and experience related to this proposed transition directly with the City of Grande Prairie, and highlighted the many benefits, services and supports Grande Prairie residents currently enjoy from the RCMP and out professional and dedicated Members who live and work in Grande Prairie.

We will now turn our attention to supporting our Grande Prairie Members to ensure they are respected and supported in the transition years ahead. While our Members will remain the police of jurisdiction for the foreseeable future, we will also hold the City and Council accountable for the public safety, transition timelines and budgets that they have committed to through this review and transition decision.”

(With files from rdnewsNOW)