Alberta’s minister of public safety and emergency services was questioned by local politicians on changes to the handling of policing complaints, Alberta Sheriffs and concerns about contract policing at a town hall meeting on April 4. Mike Ellis gave a brief presentation at the Sandman hotel before taking questions from attendees — he said he knows many municipalities have questions about the potential for a provincial police force and work on potential changes is continuing.
“I just want to be very clear that no decision had been made regarding transitioning away from the RCMP to develop a province-wide Alberta police service,” Ellis said. “We are going to continue to consult and speak with Albertans to hear their concerns about policing and consider all policing options.”
Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen hand delivered a letter to Ellis, requesting Alberta Sheriffs be stationed in the city as early as May to help with enforcement at encampments. It was the topic of a lengthy discussion at city council earlier in the day and the letter was approved with a 6-2 vote.
READ MORE: Council to ask province for sheriff resources to deal with encampments
At the town hall meeting, Hyggen pointed out that the province has deployed Sheriffs in Calgary and Edmonton and he believes Lethbridge deserves extra resources also.
“Per capita, we have seen Calgary and Edmonton come in with some of these possible solutions by putting sheriffs in different areas and per capita, the concerns that we have within our community are actually higher per capita than in Calgary and Edmonton,” Hyggen said to Ellis during the question period of the event.
Ellis said he is not opposed to the idea, but he will have to communicate with Alberta Sheriffs to see what resources are available. “The crux of the Edmonton and Calgary issue had to do with violence that was occurring on the LRT transit,” he said. “Unfortunately we do not have enough sheriffs right now… I am not saying no, we have to look at it.”
Members of the Lethbridge Police Commission were also in attendance, with two main topics top of mind. Chair Dawna Coslovi applauded the province’s decision to mandate body cameras for police officers, but questioned where the money for them will come from.
Ellis pointed out Calgary police had figured out the cost, but he does not expect it to be simple for all services. “This is not meant to be burdensome, that’s not it — this goes to what I was talking about earlier, this is about public trust,” he said. “I am waiting for recommendations from the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police.”
Another member of the Lethbridge Police Commission, Doug Thorton, had questions about the province’s Police Amendment Act, which will change the way complaints are processed. According to Ellis, a new entity similar to ASIRT, will handle all complaints about police officers. Thorton expressed concern this will take power away from local commissions and asked for reassurance locals will still be involved.
BACKGROUND: Police Amendment Act looks at continued contract policing in Alberta: Shandro
“I think we have a good pool, appointed by our city council, representing the views and important things to our citizens that are here,” Thornton said. “My understanding is that this new system is going to take complaints and send them directly to Edmonton, kind of out of the hands of our commissions, which is here to represent the interests of the citizens of Lethrbridge and our service in the fair administration of these complaints.”
Ellis said the details are still being worked out, but the amendment will take all complaints out of local hands. “When we talk about public trust, it’s about taking the perception of police policing themselves,” he said.
A few representatives from surrounding municipalities, including Coaldale, the MD of Taber, and Milk River, expressed concern about sudden increases to the cost of contract policing through the RCMP.
Ellis said he is working on getting answers from Public Safety Canada and told Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn he is open to using the municipality as a pilot for the potential provincial police force, given the high costs the town has to pay for policing.