Alberta RCMP members demoralized over proposal to form provincial police service

Under the United Conservative Party government's plan, 275 front-line police officers would be added to the 42 smallest detachments.

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.

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.

“Quite frankly it’s been very disruptive and distracting for all our employees. Our staff are concerned about their futures and the futures of their partners and their families,” Zablocki said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

“I’ll say it’s impacted the morale of the Alberta RCMP as well and I will say it has also impacted the trust and confidence that we see from our communities in those relationships, which is very critical.”

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.

As it stands, said Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, there is no minimum number of officers at RCMP detachments. He said a made-in-Alberta police force would provide better policing for all regions, including improved response times with the use of community detachments and larger hubs.

But Zablocki said the Alberta government’s proposed model is very close to what the RCMP already provides with its roughly 3,500 members.

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.