The heat is on: council faces naysayers to municipal police
Evening delegations to council include Nina Sahjasrabuddhe, Executive Director, Strategy, Business, and Innovation for the RCMP, and head of Alberta's K Division, Curtis Zabloki.
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As city councillors ready themselves to consider Grande Prairie’s future policing structure at their Mar. 6 regular meeting, they appear to be facing a mixture of support and opposition with correspondence and delegations–with K Division starting off their evening session.
But before RCMP representatives have their say, the city will hear from the National Police Federation and Peace Country Progressive Alliance at 3 p.m. During the 6 p.m. session, Nina Sahasrabuddhe, executive director of Strategy, Business and Innovation for the RCMP and Curtis Zabloti, commanding officer K Division followed by Keith Redl finish the public presentations.
Social media including Facebook and Reddit have been active with questions, answers and commentary from the public.
There is support for the service. Police reform is not a new subject having been debated across the county for several years. Changing the framework to include mental health resources and training and preventing crimes resulting from social problems being leading issues. British Columbia released a report Transforming Policing and Community Safety in British Columbia in 2020.
The UCP government presented its policing reform in 2022 directed at resolving its issues with current policies and strategies.
Grande Prairie began its foray into addressing municipal policing in 2021. Political rumours of developing a provincial police force started council on a journey to review policing needs and ways to fill those needs. Following reports and consultations, council learned the province had support from the provincial government to help through two years of transition. On Mar. 3, further support was promised.
“I recognize that the city of Grand Prairie has requested greater financial assistance from that contained in budget 2023. I would like to assure you that the government of Alberta is fully committed and prepared to work with municipal officials to assist in supporting any future funding assistance requirements for fiscal year 2025/26 and beyond,” wrote Mike Ellis, minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services to Mayor Jackie Clayton in an email.
Another letter of support comes from Dr. Kelly Sundberg, associate professor of Economics, Justice and Policy Studies at Mount Royal University.
“I am particularly impressed with the proposed tiered policing model for the GPPS ,which will include police officers, peace officers, and other public safety and support professionals,” he says.
“This model has the potential to serve as a benchmark for other policing services in Alberta and across Canada.”
He’s referencing the model put together by the city’s Protective and Social Services division. Over the previous two years, the city has developed services to address addiction, homelessness, trouble hotspots and mental health. Prior to that, the city’s enforcment unit was already up and running. It has increased its presence and addresses areas RCMP do not.
Clayton told reporters during the Feb. 22 announcement of $9.7 million in support of transitioning to their own municipal force that having that support helped council focus on what was best for the city. It’s based on loc
“Our need and discussion was based on our localized needs. This decision, the review and the transition plan were based on what serves our municipality best.”
The regular meeting starts with an afternoon session at 3 p.m. at city hall.
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