Alberta's Police Review Commission, an independent body for police investigations, is now operational, Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis announced Monday. “The Police Review Commission represents a new era in how Alberta addresses policing complaints,” said Ellis in a press release. “These changes are part of a broader paradigm shift where police are no longer seen as an arm of the state, but rather an extension and a reflection of the community they serve.”“As an independent agency, it is committed to fairness, accountability and public trust, ensuring every complaint is investigated impartially and resolved openly.”The PRC will receive, investigate, and resolve all complaints concerning police conduct incidents. “For far too long, the perception of the public was that police were investigating police, and because of that, there was a level of distrust,” Ellis said. “It’s now time for change.”.Complaints filed under the PRC will be categorized into three levels. Level one covers serious injuries and serious or sensitive allegations. Level two includes other criminal and statutory offences. Level three addresses non-criminal misconduct. “The PRC can focus on misconduct with the investigative resources and authorities it has, while police services can use their tools as employers to deal with job performance issues through human resources and the collective bargaining process, which is much more suited to those kinds of issues,” said Michael Ewenson, the interim CEO of the PRC. Ewenson is a former prosecutor who served for 10 years as Calgary’s deputy chief prosecutor.The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team will continue operating under the umbrella of the PRC. The PRC will require reviews to be finished within 180 days, and a public explanation will be necessary if they cannot be completed within that period. Investigations initiated before Monday will be completed under their existing body. The PRC assembly process began in 2022.
