What is the City hoping to achieve with developing a municipal police service transition plan?

    The City is further assessing the benefits, risks, costs and viability of a municipal police service. 

    Why did the City pursue a Police Service Model Review?

    If the Government of Alberta chooses to proceed with a provincial police service, then the RCMP will no longer be available to provide municipal contract policing in Alberta. 

    Is the City’s decision connected to the Province’s consideration of a provincial police service?

    The municipal police service review was initiated in anticipation of a provincial decision regarding a provincial police force.

    Regardless of whether the Province pursues a provincial policing model, the initial Police Service Model review has suggested that the City of Grande Prairie may be well served through increased efficiency, responsiveness to local issues and cost savings through creation of its own municipal police service.

    Why is the City proceeding with a transition and public consultation?

    Policing services is currently the largest annual expenditure in the City's operating budget. A detailed transition plan is needed to understand the impacts, costs, risks and benefits at a granular level. For example, in order to proceed with this transition, the City needs to have a firm understanding of detailed impacts related to support services such as IT, Human Resources, administration, among other things. 

    Public consultation is required to help us understand what the community would like to see from a local police service, as well as increasing the local context applied to decisions around policing.  

    Could a change in service providers leave the City without police services for a period of time?

    No, if the contract with the RCMP is terminated, then a multi-year transition plan would be needed and an effective number of policing resources would continue to be deployed during that time.