Province gives more than $4M to Calgary for 50 police officers

Calgary is getting more money from the province to hire additional police officers, public safety minister Mike Ellis said Wednesday.

The province said rising acts of violence have left the government with no choice but to take direct action to keep Calgarians safe.

More than $4 million is coming to the city to recruit, train, and deploy 50 new officers to high-crime areas like transit centres and the downtown core.

“People in Calgary have a right to feel safe and secure in their city, whether they’re at home, enjoying a night out or riding public transit to work. Officer presence matters, and 50 new uniformed CPS members will provide a visible deterrent to crime and a reassuring presence to law-abiding Calgarians who have every right to expect they can go about their daily lives free from harm or the fear of being harmed,” Ellis said at press conference alongside Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld.

The province first said in April that 100 officers were coming to Edmonton and Calgary to tackle rising instances of violence, particularly in the downtown cores and on transit.

The Calgary Police Service has already started to recruit new members, who will be put “strategically” in high-crime areas but have the flexibility to move to other parts of the city as needs change.

Provincial funds will help to pay for officer salaries and benefits, equipment like vehicles, uniforms, radios, and body-worn cameras.

Specifically, $1.11 million will go toward officer pay and benefits, $2.5 million is designated for one-time costs like vehicles, uniforms, radios, and workstations, and $550,000 is for ongoing technology and support costs.

The province says funding for the remaining officers will be determined as part of next year’s budget.

Neufeld said Wednesday having safe public spaces in Calgary is key to the city’s quality of life.

“While we will lead with compassion and collaboration with our service partners, make no mistake that enforcement is a critical component of public safety,” he said. “We are pleased that the ministry is supporting the ongoing work and commitments made by the City of Calgary to support improved community safety.”

Chair of the Calgary Police Commission, Shawn Cornett, said CPS members have been carrying “unsustainable workloads” due to financial pressure and reduced hiring during the pandemic.

““We are thankful that these 50 new officers will soon join the 130 new officers funded by council to greatly improve the service’s ability to manage Calgary’s complex crime issues,” he said.

The province says this money for more officers continues the work being done to improve safety in Calgary, alongside the Alberta Sheriffs pilot, more local positions to the Sheriffs’ Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit, and a $5 million grant to improve safety on the city’s transit network.

This follows a similar announcement made in Edmonton Tuesday, where Ellis announced $8.3 million from the province for that city.