Alberta government move for police reform, wants independent investigations of police

The Alberta government proposed legislation Thursday meant to make police “more accountable and more responsive to the communities they serve.”

In addition, a requirement from all jurisdictions with a population above 15,000 currently policed by the RCMP is to establish civilian bodies to oversee policing priorities.

The Police Amendment Act would establish an independent agency called the Police Review Commission to receive complaints, carry out investigations and conduct disciplinary hearings to do away with the idea of police investigating police.

Mike Ellis, the minister of public safety and emergency services, said the province has been consulting with Albertans since 2018 to come up with the first major overhaul of the Police Act in 34 years.

“One thing that came up consistently was the need to change how complaints against the police are investigated to end the system of police investigating police,” Ellis said.

“The legislation answers those long-lasting calls to reform the public complaints process by establishing an independent agency to handle complaints against police.”

The Alberta Serious Response Teams (ASIRT) will continue to handle all cases involving death or serious injuries, as well as serious and sensitive allegations involving all police services. Its mandate would be expanded to include peace officers employed by provincial organizations as well as community peace officers at the municipal level.

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The provincial government is still deciding what to do after the release of a third-party analysis last year, with a proposal to create a provincial police force instead of using the RCMP in rural areas and some smaller communities.

“No decisions have been made regarding the provincial police service,” Ellis said. “This is about ensuring that the rural municipalities have a say at the table under our current model, which is the RCMP, who is the current provincial police service provider.”

Ellis said it could be another 18 months before the Police Review Commission is up and running. He said negotiations are underway with the RCMP to see how they would fit in under civilian oversight.

“Right now, K-Division has expressed they’re supportive of this. However, we’re still having discussions with Public Safety Canada because it still falls technically under the RCMP in Ottawa,” he said.

“We’re going to continue to negotiate with the RCMP because we believe the independent body is the right approach and we can continue going down that path.”

The proposed changes would also require police to develop diversity and inclusion plans to reflect the diverse and distinct communities they serve and to better understand local community needs.

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Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki, commanding officer of the Alberta RCMP, said it welcomes initiatives that enhance the voices of the communities it serves.

Zablocki said the RCMP will continue to work with the province and Public Safety Canada to identify opportunities that create consistency and efficiency in the complaints process.

“The Alberta RCMP is adaptable and future-focused, adjusting to the dynamic and changing safety and security needs of Albertans,” Zablocki said in a release.

“We support legislation that truly embodies what will best serve Albertans and ensure that citizens are at the forefront of policing priorities.”

The Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police supports the changes.

“Changes to update our Police Act are long overdue,” said Calgary Police Chief Mark Neufeld, president of the association, in a statement.

“We have advocated for several years that the act needs reform to bring it more in line with the realities of the modern police workplace, This is also an opportunity to enhance independence and transparency in the complaints process, which will enrich trust and confidence across our province.”

Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee said the changes “will provide an additional layer of public transparency” that will benefit both the public and police.