OLDS — Council doesn’t think a provincial police force is needed in Alberta and is fearful of what it would cost municipalities if one were set up.
As a result, council has authorized the mayor, Mike Muzychka, to write a letter making that point to Premier Jason Kenney and Solicitor General Kaycee Madu.
Last year, the Alberta government’s Fair Deal Panel, set up by the governing United Conservative Party, recommended creating a provincial police force.
Panel members thought the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which currently serves communities throughout the province, had become too bogged down in bureaucracy and wasn’t providing enough front-line officers, especially in small communities.
On March 8, council passed a motion by Coun. Mary Jane Harper that directed Muzychka to “write a letter to our premier and solicitor general stating the opposition by the whole town council with a move to a possible Alberta police force.”
The issue arose when council considered a letter from Madu asking what it costs the town directly and indirectly to receive policing services from the RCMP.
Council also received a copy of a letter from the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass to Madu saying strongly that that community also doesn’t support going to a provincial police force.
During discussion on the matter, several councillors noted they had attended a summit on provincial policing organized by Alberta Urban Municipalities Association.
Coun. Mary Anne Overwater said about 600 people participated in the AUMA forum.
“I took away from that that the majority of the people on that call were not in favour of a private police force in Alberta,” she said.
Coun. Heather Ryan said Madu had indicated they would structure the provincial police force so it wouldn’t cost municipalities any more than they’re already paying.
“I’m not confident in that kind of comment,” she said, predicting the cost would be “extraordinary” and that the town would lose the experience of existing police officers.
Councillors Wanda Blatz and Mitch Thomson voiced their skepticism too.
“There’s just not enough information out there yet and it seems like it’s going to be a tremendous cost to each municipality to go this way and I’m not prepared at this time to really fully support it,” Blatz said.
“Generally speaking, I think Alberta needs a fair deal in Canada. But I think this is one of those political posturing types of moves and I don’t think it’s timely or well supported in the province,” Thomson said. “I think it’s a waste of money. I support this motion wholeheartedly.”
Blatz asked Muzychka if he planned to bring the matter up during the next meeting of the South Central Alberta Mayors’ Caucus. He said he most likely would.
"We have talked very briefly about it but hadn’t got to the point of a letter-writing campaign,” he said.
Muzychka said during a casual conversation, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Nathan Cooper had asked what he thought of the idea of a provincial police force.
“I said personally, I would think that if we got the same service level, no increased costs, town councils may not worry about it,” Muzychka said. “But the Alberta government didn’t seem to be able to guarantee those two things, so then yeah, I think we should be opposed to it.”
