Edmonton police commission seeks to replace city councillor members with civilians

City council could lose its two seats on the Edmonton police commission if councillors accept a change the commission argues would lead to better governance.

In a report going to council Tuesday, the police commission recommends removing the two existing councillor seats and replacing them with members of the public "at a time established by council."

The report outlines disadvantages to having city councillors sit on the 12-member commission. The police commission oversees the Edmonton Police Service, allocating funds provided by council and setting policies for effective policing.

Councillors have a tendency to outweigh other commissioners and bring political influence to meetings, the report says.

"I'm a little surprised and concerned," said Ward Sspomitapi Coun. Jo-Anne Wright, who has been a member of the police commission since January.

"My biggest concern is that I think councillors provide the voice of the public … we would lose that voice."

The request follows a 2023 governance review that weighed advantages and disadvantages of having councillors on the commission. That review recommended the commission ask council to consider replacing council appointees with public members.

For that review, accounting firm MNP conducted 15 individual or group interviews in 2023 with members of the commission, the police chief, police senior staff and police commission staff. 

Those methods are insufficient for Mount Royal University criminal justice professor Doug King, who said a change as big as the one being proposed would require wider consultation.

"When you're making these kinds of changes that could seriously harm the very fabric of community policing — I don't think they've done a good enough job, quite frankly," King said.

Ward O-day'min Coun. Anne Stevenson, council's other representative on the police commission, said she is of two minds about the proposal.

She said she likes the idea of having more civilians involved, but said the commission would potentially lose having representatives who represent the public by design.

"I don't think those challenges of wearing two hats are insurmountable," Stevenson said. "Being able to keep those roles separate is possible. It requires intention and diligence, but it's not insurmountable."

The Alberta Police Act requires cities with police services to have police commissions.