Grande Prairie seeks resident feedback on new police service

The City of Grande Prairie is seeking feedback from residents as it plans to develop its own city police service.

The city has hired MNP to work with the community to create a detailed transition plan for the establishment of a city police service.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the critical city council is hearing from residents to make an informed decision.

“It is important that residents participate in the survey and open house so that we can hear your thoughts and consider them along with other data that will be presented to the city council in 2023,” the mayor said.

The consultation will include an online survey, open house days for residents, interviews, focus groups and meetings with stakeholders.

“Through this process, participants can provide their feedback on what they want from a modern municipal police service and how it can effectively serve our community,” the city said in a press release.

The city council approved $250,000 for a detailed transition plan and public consultation plan at a special council meeting in September.

The mayor said the detailed interim report would help the council decide on a city police force.”

“It will be detailed and granular enough to show the impact, the cost, the risk and the benefit,” she said in September.

Currently, the city contracts its municipal police services through the RCMP with a Municipal Police Services Agreement (MPSA).

A review of the policing model was presented to the city at the Committee of All’s meeting on Sept. 27, the day before the special council meeting to fund the transition plan and public engagement.

Currently, the city contracts its municipal police services through the RCMP with a Municipal Police Services Agreement (MPSA).

“MPSAs are available through the Provincial Police Service Agreement (PPSA) between the (Province) and RCMP,” states the Police Service Model Review.

“If the (province) were to form a new provincial police service, the RCMP would no longer be available for municipal contract police in the city of Grande Prairie or elsewhere in Alberta.”

The expected cost of creating a municipal police service is estimated at around $10-20 million.

The survey is open through December 23 and can be completed at engagement.cityofgp.com/municipalpolice.

The open house will be announced in January.

All information gathered from the survey will be presented to the City Council in early 2023.