‘Smart,’ ‘confusing’: Experts weigh in on Alberta Sheriffs Police Service

The Alberta government is moving forward with its own police force. The premier insists the new agency will compliment current ones—not replace them.

After Alberta Premier Danielle Smith unveiled a provincial policing service Wednesday, there are still many questions left unanswered.

CTV public safety analyst Chris Lewis said he was “a little confused” by the premier’s announcement.

“There are a lot of gaps to fill in that are really uncertain at this time,” said Lewis.

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Currently, sheriffs do court security and traffic enforcement while RCMP respond to homicides, fatal collisions, missing people and the lot.

“How do you go from what they are to what they can do?” said Lewis. “Who do they report to? Who’s responsible for what they do?”

In Calgary Wednesday, Smith said the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service wouldn’t replace the RCMP, but would “work alongside existing branches of law enforcement to fill gaps.”

Municipalities will have the option to contract the new service for its policing needs instead of RCMP.

Lewis said a provincial service would essentially be like the RCMP but with a different name and with its own hierarchy, infrastructure, cruisers and training.

“It would be really tough to move from what the RCMP does now to a model like the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP),” said Lewis. “ Do you take over RCMP buildings, their radios, their cars? Or do you change all that?”

The former OPP commissioner added that it would take years to put together if the province decided to go the latter route, but it’s too early to say at this point.

Dan Jones, chair of justice studies at Norquest College, said he thinks it’s a “smart move” while Ottawa may move to get out of contracting leasing.

“I think it’s a smart move for the Alberta government to do something before it’s done to them and be ready for it,” Jones told CTV News Edmonton.

The current policing contract for RCMP ends in 2032.

Contract policing is provided through agreements negotiated between the federal government and provinces, territories and municipalities.

Eight provinces and three territories receive RCMP services as well as some 150 municipalities under direct contract.

Ontario and Quebec have their own provincial police services.

There are over 4,000 RCMP personnel in Alberta, including officers and civilian workers.

The province said there are around 2,000 sheriffs, with 650 of them fully trained, for the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service.

“One of the issues at hand is the RCMP are understaffed in some (Alberta) communities, where they are paying for policing services that are not happening because the RCMP don’t have people there,” said Jones. “Where are they going to get these folks from? How many are they going to hire and how large is the service going to be?”

Despite unanswered questions, Jones thinks the province has done a “good job” planning the provincial force.

“This has been going on for a long time and I think the planning has been really well done,” said Jones. “I think this is a positive move for the province of Alberta.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti and CTV News Calgary’s Melissa Gilligan.