Provincial police force should stay part of the past
By Lethbridge Herald on August 4, 2022.
Editor:
This summer, I had the pleasure of introducing new Canadian residents to the Fort Museum at Fort Macleod – exploring the fort, absorbing the history of the world-renown RCMP through engaging film, storyboards and unique displays, culminating in the delightful musical ride – a truly Canadian cultural icon.
This brings to mind Alberta’s UCP government’s idea to replace RCMP with a provincial police force. Prior to a ‘Keep Alberta RCMP’ information session, I scanned the pWc “Alberta Provincial Police (APP) Study”, and found no allowances for training, infrastructure, administration or specialized policing services (security, cyber-crime, K9, etc) and unrealistic transition timelines.
The APP study cost Albertans nearly $1.4 million, taken out of Alberta’s policing budget. The UCP government is considering a detailed study costing about $2 million, despite 84 per cent of Albertans and most municipalities being in favour of keeping the RCMP in Alberta.
Alberta could lose $170 million annually in federal subsidies ending up with fewer police. Meanwhile, a critical shortage of Crown prosecutors and judges in Alberta means some crimes may not be heard in court.
I am disappointed that the Town of Coaldale has jumped on this APP bandwagon, apparently being the only municipality of this size bearing 100 per cent of police funding. Though the province is apparently lobbying on Coaldale’s behalf, it would seem that this should be a role that our Member of Parliament should fill.
Perhaps if the UCP government has millions to throw away on frivolous studies, it should also have dollars to subsidize Coaldale’s policing budget. Policing has always been challenging but now made more difficult by present-day social issues.
Trying to impose an Ontario model on Alberta will undo the progress made in rural communities and take us back decades. The Alberta Provincial Police of the past – visit the APP Barracks in Coleman in the Crowsnest Pass – should stay in the past.
I invite anyone who agrees, to share thoughts with your MLA. Then visit and celebrate the Fort Museum, the historical Alberta Provincial Police barracks in Coleman and many of our other great tourist attractions in Southern Alberta.
Barb Goertzen
Coaldale
12-11
I agree 100%, not that the RCMP doesn’t need work in some areas. To think that you can create your own provincial police force and think that you’re not going to have these same issues is naive. Take a look at our LPS for comparison.
Agreed. Will the UCP listen? This:
“Rural municipalities ask UCP to stop planning provincial police force”
http://www.globalnews.ca/news/8951611/rural-alberta-municipalities-ucp-provincial-police-force
And, from Twitter: “Most Albertans reject these views by large margins. But norms of democracy are so weak here most also assume they have to accept this nonsense they reject, as if there’s nothing that can be done (vs the loads that can and should be…..fatalism is much harder to watch.”
Will Albertans stand up to the UCP by using their votes? Will they say to the UCP, stop this nonsense, or we will, not, vote for you?
Difficult decision to make. Gs 172 comments about RCMP needing work in some areas is a gross understatement. Often reprehensible actions taken by RCMP, without recourse I should add,could make them very undesirable. But then – – the OPP are in the same category. They should be working for the good citizens of Canada .That has proven to be not the case too many times.
As per usual.
Agreed Barb! There are so many other hidden costs that have not being considered, not to mention in the case of major incident, we could draw on RCMP assets from across the country to bring in more boots on the ground. We have seen manhunts that have tactical teams from across the prairies unite to track them more than once.
The RCMP operates the National Forensics Lab Services in Ottawa, Edmonton and Surrey, that we have better access to when we use their police force here, alhough all police forces do access their services. They provide many services such as ident of prints and DNA. From there website:
“…NFLS provides forensic services in biology, firearms, toxicology and trace evidence for police from across Canada, excluding Ontario and Quebec who have their own public forensic laboratories for provincial and municipal investigations. NFLS also oversees the National Anti-Counterfeiting Bureau for all federal, provincial and municipal investigations….”
If there is problem in some areas, work with them to fix it! I know for the UCP that appears to be something they normally don’t do, ‘my way or the highway’ is more their style.
I also agree with you comment of ‘imposing an Ontario style model’ on Albertans, which they have tried to do in many areas, destroying our healhcare and EMS services. They don’t know how to work with the citizens of this province or negotiate with essential services, causing many to leave the province or quit their professional jobs and find other employment where they are appreciated. Alberta is not Ontario and we have a unique lifestyle that is distinct from Ontario! We need a government that recognizes this!
I say again, if there are areas that need to be address, put on your big boy pants UCP and listen to concerns and work together to find ways to resolve those issues.
The RCMP is an important part of this country and this province, providing not must manpower, but intelligence, ident, access to temporary increased manpower when needed and many more benefits that would take a provincial force to bring up to that level. The world has changed and we need well trained police.
Once again we see old school and buckwheat out of touch with reality but they just keep on trying show the world how ignorant they truly are. They just don’t get it .Totally ignorant of what kicking out the RCMP would cost them and just too stupid to listen to what is being said.
Once again the old “oilman’s coffee clatch” ignoramus shows up mouthing off about something he has no idea about. Nowhere have I ever indicated or stated that the RCMP should be disbanded for a Provincial police force. Your statement is false.