Grande Prairie police transition approved by council

Grande Prairie is beginning the process to ditch the RCMP and establish its own municipal police force.

City council approved Monday to begin the transition, saying the decision came after “a years-long assessment of policing in Grande Prairie.”

It notes the vote came after a public consultation process, a review of current policing methods, as well as the creation of a plan to lead the transition.

According to the city, public consultation was conducted with more than a dozen stakeholders, publicly online, and in two in-person sessions.

The results found that many want to see policing “meet the needs of equity deserving groups,” as well as a “general desire for a localized approach to policing.” The city also found that “policing needs to better understand and incorporate the effect of social factors into their operations.”

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Council will now move to get approval from the province to begin creating a municipal force and switch to it. The city says it will also “pass a bylaw creating a police commission,” and notify the federal government about its “intent to transition away from the RCMP, as per the Municipal Police Service Agreement.”

“Grande Prairie City Council believes transitioning to a municipal police service will best serve our community and create a more locally responsive policing solution with local oversight, addressing local needs,” said Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton.

“We recognize and are grateful for the service of the RCMP in Grande Prairie and everything they’ve done to serve and protect our community. We look forward to working alongside the RCMP as the City of Grande Prairie transitions to a municipal police service over the next five years.”

Grand Prairie could be first Alberta community to transition away from RCMP since 1956: city

The city says this move would make Grand Prairie the “first Alberta community to transition from the RCMP to a municipal police service since 1956.”

It also cites a number of benefits in doing so.

Council says the city has “successfully advocated for and received $9.7 million in start-up and transition funding” from the provincial government.

It estimates the transition will cost about $19 million and “include a 20% contingency, transitional staffing, policing equipment, fleet assets, technology, infrastructure, recruitment, training, and professional services.”

RCMP ‘naturally disappointed’

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki says he is “naturally disappointed” by the decision.

“The RCMP will continue in their contract service for the Grande Prairie region during the transition period,” Zablocki said in a statement. “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.”

Zablocki adds he is proud of the work of RCMP officers in Grande Prairie and across Alberta.

“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,” said the deputy commissioner. “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.

“We have been proud to live, work and serve in Grande Prairie.”