The Grande Prairie RCMP have welcomed the first two police officers of the Grande Prairie Police Service to work alongside them.The arrival of GPPS members is the latest step in Grande Prairie’s multi-year transition towards having its own municipal police service. During this transition, the Alberta RCMP remains the police of jurisdiction.Starting Monday, two constables will be integrated into the existing frontline teams at the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment and will work alongside the RCMP members.Grande Prairie Police Service Chief of Police Dwayne Lakusta called the event a "significant milestone" for policing the community of 63,000 in Northwest Alberta."This significant milestone reflects the collaboration and partnership between the Grande Prairie Police Service and the RCMP," said Lakusta."Ensuring public safety is non-negotiable, and this move underscores our shared commitment to a safe and seamless transition. Our first Experienced Officer class is getting right to work, with others working out of the regional ALERT office and with the Grande Prairie Police Service Transition Team."Supt. Lee Brachmann, Officer-in-Charge of the Grande Prairie RCMP said the municipal police have the same sense of obligation as Mounties.“Regardless of the uniform, all of the officers at the detachment are dedicated to ensuring the safety of the citizens we serve,” said Brachmann.“The Grande Prairie RCMP is working closely with the GPPS and the Government of Alberta to advance this transition safely and effectively, while ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality policing services.”In addition to the training and assessments completed during the recruitment process, the GPPS officers received extra training to become familiar with RCMP policies and procedures which will provide citizens with a consistent approach to policing.The usefulness of 911 remains the same, said Brachmann.“If you’re experiencing an emergency, you still call 911. If it’s not an emergency or you need to report a crime, you still call the RCMP detachment directly,” Brachman explained.“No matter if it’s a member of the RCMP or a member of the GPPS, all of us are here to respond.”The GPPS was launched in 2023. Its transition timeline calls for 41 police officers to be trained and deployed in 2024 alongside 31 peace officers. By 2025, police officers will number 65.A full transition to GPPS is expected by 2026 with a force of 89 police officers. By 2027, the force intends to have 100 police officers, while maintaining 31 peace officers.
