RCMP union speaks out against new agency

Posted on May 2, 2024 by Vauxhall Advance

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Southern Alberta Newspapers

The National Police Federation has shared its concerns with Southern Alberta Newspapers about the Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 announced last month by the Alberta government that calls for the creation of a new policing agency.

The National Police Federation (NPF) is a police union that represents around 20,000 RCMP members serving across Canada and internationally.

NPF president Brian Sauvé expressed how deeply concerned and perplexed they are about the announcement to introduce new legislation laying the groundwork for a new independent police agency.

“Alberta has significant policing infrastructure in place through the Alberta RCMP, yet the government has not increased funding for our members to keep pace with population growth and evolving crime in the province,” states Sauvé.

He adds that Albertans proudly support the Alberta RCMP, with successive waves of public opinion research showing that four out of five Albertans in RCMP-served communities are satisfied with their policing services.

Sauvé goes on to say that proposed changes to policing in Alberta have been deeply unpopular with Alberta residents and the announcement appear to be yet another attempt to force an unwanted and expensive policing change on taxpayers.

“For several years, our members in Alberta have been caught in the middle of a highly politicized debate on policing,” says Sauvé.

“Rather than legislation, bureaucracy and more government spending to explore alternative policing services, it’s time to invest in the highly trained, professional provincial policing service accountable to Albertans: the Alberta RCMP.”