EDMONTON -- The Alberta government commissioned an independent study to help decide if they should replace the RCMP with a provincial police force.
According to the government, some Albertans told the Fair Deal Panel that the RCMP is overly bureaucratic and heavy handed with the enforcement of gun laws, and that officers have a limited connection to Alberta.
“Alberta’s government has an obligation to listen to those concerns and explore how a police force designed in Alberta — not Ottawa — would improve the safety and security of Albertans and their property," said Kaycee Madu, Alberta's minister of justice and solicitor general.
The panel told the government to consider creating a new police force to replace the RCMP, and Alberta funded a $2-million study with PwC Canada.
"This provincial police service transition study will allow the government to make an informed decision as to whether a dedicated provincial police service is in the best interests of Albertans," the province said in a release. "The study will also consider operational requirements, processes and potential costs for creating a provincial police service."
PwC Canada is expected to provide its analysis by April 30, 2021.
