EDMONTON — Alberta's Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services introduced new legislation on Tuesday, intended to create a streamlined path for Alberta Sheriffs officers to transition to police officers within the province's new provincial police force, and ensure uninterrupted service to Albertans. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis began his press conference on Tuesday by stating that the state of crime in Alberta is evolving, and that Albertans want change. Despite overall crime going down, the number of violent crimes is increasing, and it is becoming more organized and complex."They don't want excuses, and they certainly don't want governments that just react after the damage is already done. They want us to stay ahead of the criminals, and they want results," said Ellis. "The commitments and promises are, quite frankly, simple. This government will do whatever it takes, put boots on the ground, and keep communities safe. Today, we're taking another important step towards delivering on that promise.".The newly announced Bill 15 would amend the Police Act, beginning the transition of all Alberta Sheriffs employees to the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service, a provincial police force established in July 2025 and still under construction. "Over time, this will mean faster response times as we augment and support all police services, stronger coordination with police and jurisdiction and more strategic deployment of police resources," Ellis said. "The result is safer communities for Albertans and a greater confidence in public safety right across the province."Alberta Sheriffs officers are currently classified as peace officers performing highway patrol, security at legislature grounds and courthouses, protecting dignitaries, transporting prisoners, shutting down illegal properties, supporting criminal investigations, and acting as fish and wildlife officers. .Under the new legislation, the roughly 600 Alberta sheriffs officers who perform "police-like" duties would be able to transition to careers as police officers in the ASPS, provided that they complete the training and qualification requirements. Details are still being worked out, but Ellis expects that the police training could take six weeks."For decades, our sheriffs have been the part of the landscape of community safety, doing everything from high-speed traffic enforcement to specialized surveillance," Ellis said. "They're highly skilled. They're dedicated, and quite frankly, they've been doing the police like functions and this work for a long time. It creates a very common-sense line of sight transition for the sheriffs’ peace officers to move into the police officer functions under the ASPS."Other officers would continue performing their peace officer duties to ensure full operational coverage. .The total transition would include the Alberta Sheriffs' 1,200 employees, who range from peace officers to civilians and management positions. Bill 15 is intended to ensure employment stability for Alberta Sheriffs staff, who will continue to operate under their current employment terms during and after the transition.Building on legislation passed in October, ASPS police officers will also be able to form a police association for future labour agreements. .Bill 15 also amends the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, an Act the press release called "Alberta’s most powerful tool for shutting down problem properties fueled by crime." These amendments would allow for the director of law enforcement to delegate powers and functions to the ASPS, and ensure that specialized sheriff units currently under the Alberta Sheriffs perform their duties, such as surveillance and property closers, within the ASPS without interruption. "Our specialized sheriff units are already out there right now, shutting down problem properties, targeting fugitives that are avoiding accountability, and these amendments ensure that those teams don't miss a single beat," Ellis said.Ellis said that at the end of the day, the changes made under Bill 15, and all other actions related to the ASPS are aimed at protecting Albertans. "It's about faster response times, better coordination, and of course, putting more police officers on the streets to deter those who think that they can break the law within community," Ellis said.
