While Albertans must wait for a decision by the Government of Alberta on a proposed provincial police service, the National Police Federation (NPF) is engaging with Albertans across the province through their KeepAlbertaRCMP Community Engagement Tour.
The tour was scheduled to make a stop in Airdrie on Feb. 3 (after press time) at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 288.
The province indicated a decision about the future of the RCMP in Alberta will likely be made this spring, and the Department of Justice and Solicitor General will hold a series of events to inform that decision.
The province proposed the creation of its own provincially led and funded policing service in 2021 to replace the current RCMP service, which is partially federally funded.
According to Kevin Halwa, prairie/north region director for the NPF, the goal of the KeepAlbertaRCMP tour is to inform the public on the impact of the proposed policing transition and to make sure the government hears from as many Albertans as possible.
“I'm a [proud] lifelong resident of Alberta, a fifth-generation Albertan, and I get that those of us out west, myself included, feel that the federal government and Ottawa have too much [control] in our life,” Halwa said. “There are many things we can get a better deal on from the federal government, but policing is not it.”
The federal government currently pays 30 per cent of the provincial policing bill, which was roughly $188 million in 2021. That number is only increasing as costs go up, according to Halwa.
“It's very concerning that the provincial government would want to move away from that and take over those costs because there is no going back,” Halwa said, adding the question still remains how the province plans to fund the provincial police service without federal funding and a promise of improved service.
Last summer, Minister Kaycee Madu hosted a rural crime tour, where he spoke to rural Albertans about crime and policing in their communities. Halwa noted the information presented by the government to the public following those meetings did not always align with the sentiment expressed in the meetings.
The transition is estimated to cost the province over $550 million in additional costs, Halwa said.
“As a result, the NPF is hosting these meetings to share fact-based, clear information and to hear directly from Albertans on their interests, questions, and concerns,” he said.
Following the engagement sessions with NPF, a summary will be prepared and shared with the provincial government.
While some municipalities are still waiting for further information from the government around funding, Halwa claimed throughout their engagement process, he has not spoken to a single person who thought the transition toward a provincial police force was a good idea.
More than 45,000 letters have been sent by Albertans to the government opposing the transition.
A Pollara Strategic Insights survey by the NPF in November 2021 revealed that 80 per cent of Albertans in RCMP-served communities remain satisfied with RCMP policing. The survey revealed ongoing steady RCMP support from Albertans over the past year, despite political criticism and an ongoing revolving jailhouse door created by prosecutor shortages in the provincial justice system.
Speaking to the public at engagement sessions, Halwa thinks the support of RCMP services could even be higher than 80 per cent.
“Can there be improvements made? Absolutely,” he said. “We are all for improving and enhancing.”
Halwa noted the majority of changes proposed through a provincial police force could be made now, at a lower cost. Making these changes now is within the provincial minister’s jurisdiction, he said.
The main concern brought up through the KeepAlbertaRCMP tour is the revolving door of the criminal justice system in Alberta, Halwa added, arguing policing is just one piece of that problem, as the province also needs to address a backlog in the court system and the shortage of crown prosecutors in the province.
The problems facing the criminal and justice system in the province won’t be fixed by simply adding more officers, he explained.
According to Halwa, the public has communicated their appreciation for the information shared during the tour and the clarification of some inaccurate information.
“For example, the minister has said time and time again that there's too much control from Ottawa in terms of provincial policing priorities in the province of Alberta,” he said. “That could not be further from the truth, Article 6 of Provincial Policing Agreement clearly sets out that the provincial minister sets the objectives, priorities, and goals for the province.”
Similarly, on a municipal level, he said priorities are set through policing boards with the municipal government and the detachment commanders.
Attendees of the KeepAlbertaRCMP presentation in Airdrie on Thursday could expect details of what has led policing in the province to this point, as well as research, data, and a question-and-answer period.
“This is a very important topic, not just for our members, but for everyone in Alberta. There's lots at risk and a lot to lose,” Halwa said.
The tour will make its stop in Airdrie on Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. There are also other virtual sessions available next week, found at keepalbertarcmp.ca/communityengagementtour
