Legislation mandates new RCMP governance bodies to be implemented

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 26, 2024.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The provincial government says ensuring the safety of Albertans is the reason it introduced and passed the Police Amendment Act, 2022 two years ago.

On Wednesday an order-in-council was signed for the legislation with new regulations coming into effect on March 1.

In a media release, the province says the legislation strengthens the ties of the RCMP to the communities they serve and will improve police accountability by mandating civilian governance bodies for those municipalities that the RCMP services.

“The creation of the municipal and regional policing committees and the Provincial Police Advisory Board will ensure large and small municipalities have a role in setting province-wide policing priorities and performance goals for the RCMP to ensure service delivery reflects and addresses local needs,” says the release.

Under the legislation, communities of 15,000 or more residents will be required to appoint municipal policing committees to oversee the delivery of RCMP services to their areas. The committees will work with municipal officials to set priorities for policing, report on initiatives to support policing goals and create safety plans with local RCMP detachments, authorities and agencies.

A new board, the Provincial Police Advisory Board will serve communities under 5,000 that are served by the RCMP.

This board, says the province, “will represent the interests and concerns of Albertans in these communities, support integrated safety planning and liaise with Alberta’s government, the RCMP and municipalities to align policing priorities and resources to help address local concerns and challenges. The 15-person board will include dedicated seats for representatives from Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and First Nations and Métis communities, as well as community representation for each of the province’s RCMP districts.”

In a Wednesday statement, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis said “by creating new civilian governance bodies, we’re responding to Albertans’ long-standing desire for more say in how the RCMP police their communities while advancing a paradigm shift that sees local police across the province as an extension and a reflection of the communities they serve. Unique communities have unique public safety priorities and the creation of civilian governance bodies will address this issue. Creating mandatory civilian governance bodies also ensures accountability, as officers will be held responsible for their actions and behaviour.”

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