By Global Desklast Updated
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the new police agency won鈥檛 fully replace the RCMP but will give municipalities the choice to use it instead of relying on the Mounties
Alberta has officially launched its provincial police agency and named former Calgary police deputy chief Sat Parhar as its first chief.Premier Danielle Smith announced Wednesday(July 2) that the new agency will be called the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service and will be headquartered in Calgary. The province says the force is not intended to fully replace the RCMP, but will serve as an alternative policing option for municipalities and support existing RCMP operations where needed.鈥淲e want to make sure that everybody feels that they鈥檝e got the policing that they need close to home,鈥 Smith said at a Calgary news conference. She added that several municipalities have already expressed interest in the new service.Smith said the move is also part of Alberta鈥檚 long-term plan to prepare for the possible end of federal RCMP contracts in 2032, when Ottawa’s current policing agreements with provinces and municipalities are set to expire.鈥淎lberta鈥檚 government is preparing and acting instead of waiting and reacting,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淥ur goal is to put solutions in place before serious challenges develop.鈥滾ive EventsPublic Safety Minister Mike Ellis, a former Calgary police officer, confirmed that the new agency will be a Crown corporation reporting to a civilian oversight board, not directly to the government.As of April, Alberta employed more than 1,200 sheriffs tasked with responsibilities such as traffic enforcement, inmate transport, and investigations into gang-related crime. About half of those sheriffs already perform police-like duties. It remains unclear how many will be transferred to the new force.Parhar, who retired from the Calgary Police Service in 2019, was previously investigated by Alberta鈥檚 police watchdog for allegedly obstructing justice, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing. At the announcement, he said his first priorities include hiring an executive team and establishing recruitment and training standards.鈥淲e are building a police service that reflects Alberta, its people, its communities and its future,鈥 Parhar said.The Alberta government has allocated $6 million in this year鈥檚 budget to support the force鈥檚 setup, including hiring key leadership positions. An additional $29 million was committed earlier this year to expand sheriff roles at Alberta鈥檚 borders.Opposition NDP public safety critic David Shepherd criticized the move, calling it a 鈥渮ombie idea鈥 that the government has continued to pursue despite public resistance.鈥淥n the one hand, they鈥檙e saying we鈥檒l have a referendum. On the other hand, they鈥檙e moving forward and not doing any consultation,鈥 Shepherd said.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onAlberta police forceDanielle SmithCalgary policeCanada policeAlberta Sheriffs Police ServiceRCMPCrown corporationpublic safety in AlbertaCalgary Police Servicealberta(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
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