The National Police Federation is asking the Government of Alberta to conduct a study comparing the RCMP model with a new provincial police force.
Friday, the provincial government announced the findings of a report looking into the feasibility of establishing its own police force.
Kaycee Madu, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General said the provincial police service is realistic, cost-effective and worth serious consideration.
Not so, says the NPF. They say an April 2021 survey by Pollara Strategic Insights showed that 92 per cent of Albertans want a detailed accounting of costs and service levels before any decisions are made.
“They deserve to know how this potential transition would impact them, how the province plans to fund the significant cost differences, and who will bear those costs,” read a statement from Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation.
”Minister Madu simply refuses to acknowledge that moving to an Alberta police service means forfeiting over $170m in annual contributions from the federal government, which Alberta taxpayers will need to cover somehow, either in higher taxes or through spending cuts. Transition costs are estimated to be an additional ~$366m, also to be borne by Alberta taxpayers.”
The NPF represented nearly 20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. The NPF is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada; the second largest in North America and is the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.