LPS IS HERE TO STAY
By Lethbridge Herald on July 4, 2025.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Mayor Blaine Hyggen and Lethbridge Police Commission chair Noella Piquette both say that no matter what happens provincially with the IAPS, the Lethbridge Police Service will not be replaced.Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald
As the appointment of a new chief for the Independent Agency Police Service marked the next step in giving municipalities a new option for local policing, local officials and the National Police Federation weighed in on the matter Thursday.Â
Mayor Blaine Hyggen says that as public safety in our city is always top priority, he looks forward to learning more about what resources and strategies the Province’s Independent Agency Police Service could potentially provide for the Lethbridge community. But that doesn’t mean things will change locally.Â
“To be clear, this new provincial service is not – and will not – be replacing our Lethbridge Police Service. We are committed to having our own local municipal police. On that note, I want to thank Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh and his staff for their continued excellent work in our community.”
NoĂ«lla Piquette, Lethbridge Police Commission Board Chair and member of the Alberta Association of Police Governance Board, echoed Mayor Hyggen words by stating that the commission wants to retain the Lethbridge police as they have a great working relationship with them and City Hall.Â
“We look forward to continued communication and success and hope that those who are looking at alternate policing services, engage with their current police service, their commission and their community about it,” says Piquette.Â
She also expresses her gratitude towards Chief Mehdizadeh and all members of LPS, as they continue to provide excellent work, which she says was showcased during Canada Day celebrations.Â
“They were very visible, as well as chatting with local community members, and it would be fair to say that the Lethbridge Police Commission, and City Hall have a unified voice and belief that the Lethbridge Police Service is doing an outstanding job,” says Piquette.Â
Kevin Halwa, regional director of the National Police Federation, weighed in from a provincial standpoint on what this could mean for members of the RCMP who are represented by the NPF . He says there are too many unknowns at this point.Â
“There are too many questions that are still unanswered among this whole idea, that it is hard to say what this could mean for our members,” says Halwa.Â
He says the NPF, along with municipalities, has been asking questions about the new Independent Agency Police Service, and no concrete answers have been provided.Â
Halwa explained they have been asking questions about what the IAPS will actually look like or is expected to look like, and so far, the government has been keeping their lips tightly sealed about what the end result is.Â
“The Premier and the Minister stated this was not intended to replace the RCMP, and we are always open to and welcome collaboration when is genuine and in the best interest of public safety,” says Halwa.Â
But he added there has been a lack of clarity and transparency about what’s being proposed and what the service would actually look like, and without a concrete plan it is difficult to understand how this would work alongside existing police services, rather than replace or duplicate them.Â
“And quiet frankly, Albertans deserve answers, not uncertainty,” says Halwa.Â
He says that regardless of not having answers, members of the RCMP continue to “Mountie up” and do their job and police the communities in which they live and serve across the province.Â
“With that being said, there is some frustration as taxpayers in Alberta, as this idea seems to be, for lack of better word, shoved down our throats, without any consultation,” says Halwa.Â
He adds that most Albertans have refused this idea time and time again, but the government continues to move forward with it.Â
“We have all seen the polling, whether it has been done by the government (opposition), or by Pollara Strategic Insights on behalf of the NPF, and the results have been very consistent over the past five years,” says Halwa. “There is very little appetite to move to any sort of provincial police service and the vast majority of Albertans support maintaining the RCMP as the provincial police service and supporting them properly.”Â
20-19
Maybe they need a bit of a shake it! The Lethbridge Police Service has failed and is now merely a social service, disregarding the cries of the affected population and letting criminals roam free in tent cities. If they respond at all, they do nothing!
They have failed their mandate, key responsibities and even the police commission who oversees them is a failure. Some of us who own our business see the failure right before our eyes. They are good at hiding the truth and keeping the public in the dark, and some business owners we spoke with fear complaining, fearing slower response times and loss of what miniscule grants are available for being impacted by the issues caused by lack of enforcement of laws.
· Mandate:
Municipal councils in Alberta are required to provide policing services for their communities. This includes the prevention of crime and disorder, and the protection of life and property. FAILED
· Key Responsibilities:
City police forces are tasked with enforcing laws, investigating crimes, and maintaining public order. They also work with the community to prevent crime and build trust. FAILED
· Community Engagement:
Alberta policing is community-based, with police services working in partnership with residents to address local needs and priorities. THEY ARE GOOD AT GIVING FALSE HOPE AT THEIR PR CAMPAIGNS CALLED INFORMATION SESSIONS.
· Oversight:
Alberta has established oversight bodies to ensure police services are effective and accountable to the public. FAILED
Maybe it is time to defund police!
R.U.S. . . . I know you are frustrated and have lost a lot, but defunding police at a time when we need more law enforcement is a very bad idea!
The LPS boots on the ground are dedicated and just as frustrated, so blame the feds, the province and the administration in City Hall . . . they have failed to get legislation in place to give police better laws to deal with the issues.
I agree that there is more that can be done and not doing so allows the issues to grow, but defunding police is not the way to go! They do need to work smarter with the resources they have and vary patrols. I am not going to get into the encampment strategy issues this time . . . we need funding in place for LPS . . . perhaps some oversight into where those funds are being spent and focus those funds directly on the street crimes issues, which are costing us dramatically more than any other crimes in the city! The rippling effect from the encampments and street issues stretch across this city!
I am angry and maybe defunding is out of the heat of the moment, but when cops are called, sometimes they don’t show up that day and nothing ever happens to the people who threatened us, stole from us, and damaged our property! Frequently, they fail to locate them and if they do, they walk!
Criminals appear to have more rights than the law abiding citizens!
Civil suits appear to be the only way, although complex, if seems to be the only way we will see any change before we turn completely into a slum downtown!
I and others have suffered significant losses!
Businesses seeking to sue a municipality for damages related to inadequate policing would need to file a lawsuit in court, potentially through a tort claim, and demonstrate that the municipality’s negligence caused their losses. I have a right and am tired of being walked all over by criminals! A business may have grounds to sue if the municipality’s negligence in providing policing services directly causes them harm.
Clearly we have been ignored and criminals have free will downtown at night!