Grande Prairie is in the final stages of deciding to create a municipal police service and the UCP is ready to help them do so..Residents of Grande Prairie were invited by the city to participate in sharing thoughts, ideas, and solutions for community safety initiatives as social disorder plagues the streets..Submission forms were collected until March 14, 2022 and are currently being assessed..The UCP government is stepping into help the city and its social disorder by establishing a community-led municipal police service to find solutions unique to their community..If passed, Budget 2023 will provide $9.7 million over two years toward the costs associated with starting a local police service.."Alberta’s government is ready to support Grande Prairie as the city improves public safety by exploring new and innovative approaches toward local policing," Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis said.."Having a community-led and focused police service will ensure Grande Prairie is finding unique solutions that will better serve their region.”.The City of Grande Prairie is currently policed by the RCMP under an agreement between the municipality and Public Safety Canada. A recent review of policing independently completed by the city found a significant level of concern with the current policing arrangement..To address these concerns, Grande Prairie commissioned a detailed transition study and public engagement process in September 2022 to consider other police service models..If Grande Prairie proceeds with setting up a municipal police service, provincial funding will help to offset startup costs such as equipment, uniforms, vehicles and information technology..“This initial funding gives us confidence that the province will support the City of Grande Prairie should council decide on March 6 to proceed with a municipal police service model," Mayor Jackie Clayton of the City of Grande Prairie said..The UCP recognizes that startup costs could be a barrier for communities that want to establish a municipal or regional police service. The UCP said it supports municipalities studying and developing alternate policing models as a way to address public safety concerns and ensure policing priorities are aligned with local priorities..Every municipality and region has unique needs and the communities are in the best position to decide how to improve safety..“As Grande Prairie works toward establishing its own community-driven police force, the Alberta government is fully supportive," Minister of Finance and MLA for Grande Prairie-Wapiti Travis Toews said.."This is an excellent example of a made-in-Alberta solution that will strengthen enforcement.”.Under Alberta’s Police Act, towns and cities with populations greater than 5,000 are responsible for their own policing..The Police Act gives municipalities the option of having their own police service, forming a regional policing arrangement or contracting for the provincial police’s services (i.e., the RCMP under Alberta’s provincial police service agreement)..Funding for Grande Prairie is based on the city going ahead with a municipal police service. If Grande Prairie establishes a municipal police service, the UCP is prepared to work closely with municipal officials to ensure that public safety is maintained during any transition period.
