The provincial government has released a proposed Alberta Police Service deployment model to increase police services in rural areas.
Under the model, an additional 275 frontline officers would be added to 42 detachments in Alberta.
“Under the proposed model, community detachments serving small municipalities and rural or remote areas would be the backbone of an Alberta Police Service,” a government of Alberta media release said.
Community detachments would have a minimum of 10 frontline police officers.
The increase of officers would allow the province to increase frontline response, reduce the number of officers in administrative roles, and provide access to specialist policing services in rural areas, the release said.
“This report reveals that the current deployment model is bureaucratic and heavily centralized. By moving to a provincial deployment model, we would be able to add 275 front-line police officers to the smallest 42 detachments. We can also make access to mental health, addictions, family crisis services, and other specialized police services more accessible to all communities across Alberta,” Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro said.
The model proposes between 65 and 85 community detachments, with at least 10 police officers.
In addition to community detachments, the model proposes 20 to 30 service hub detachments, to serve residents in larger municipalities and provide support to nearby detachments when needed.
The hubs would provide specialized investigative units, and services, such as tactical and canine units.
Three urban hubs are being proposed, a central, northern, and southern, to serve larger communities as a regional headquarters.
The urban hubs would provide forensic and investigative services, and provide support to smaller detachments when needed, the release said.
“Putting these in hubs across the province would reduce response times during major incidents,” the release said.
An Alberta Police Service would also support self-administered First Nations police services through service hub detachments.
The government of Alberta has not made a final decision to establish a police service.
“This process can help ensure Alberta is ready to make a transition on its own terms if the federal government ends RCMP contract policing or reduces subsidies to provinces, territories and municipalities policed by the RCMP under contract,” the release said.
The Commanding Officer of the Alberta RCMP Curtis Zablocki said the proposed framework appears to be similar to the current model of the RCMP.
“The Alberta RCMP is future-focussed and flexible, changing as the safety and security needs of Albertans change. Modernizing our force, leveraging technology and finding new ways of delivering our services more efficiently, combined with collaboration and input from our partners on all levels, drives how we adapt to the needs of the citizens we serve, and respond to modern-day threats and social factors within the province,” Zablocki said in Alberta RCMP media release.
Zablocki explained that the Alberta RCMP has always been willing to work in collaboration with the provincial government to ensure transparency and accountability in service delivery as the budget and staffing levels are determined by the government.
“The provincial policing priorities are developed with their oversight and approval, and we report on strategic and budget performance measurements on a regular basis,” Zablocki said.
The RCMP are continuing open communication with community leaders, and associations to ensure they are responding and evolving as a police service for Albertans.
“I am grateful for our continued ability to collaborate and work together to address the needs of communities and citizens,” Zablocki said.
Going forward, the Alberta RCMP team will review and analyze the report in depth.
