The head of Alberta’s RCMP says a proposal by the provincial government to form its own police service has been a distraction and harmful to its members abpoli yyc
Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki said the potential move has been hanging over the organization’s head for nearly two years and is having an impact.
The United Conservative Party government recently outlined its blueprint for more police in rural Alberta. Under the plan, 275 front-line police officers would be added to the 42 smallest detachments.Article content He said support from the public, as well as from most municipalities, shows how well respected the RCMP is and he hopes Albertans will have a say in any final decision, but he stopped short of calling for a plebiscite.Advertisement 4Earlier this year, the Rural Municipalities of Alberta said it supported keeping the RCMP and opposed the idea of a provincial police force because the government has failed to demonstrate how it would increase service levels in rural areas.
Richard Fadden, former director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and national security adviser to the prime minister, said he doesn’t believe a long-standing organization like the RCMP can provide the full range of police services Canadians expect into the future.Article content