EDMONTON -- The RCMP will continue to work with the City of Red Deer to provide policing services.

City council made the decision in a special council meeting on Tuesday.

The city began a policing review in November 2018, exploring the effectiveness and efficiency of its policing services, reviewing the governance model of the RCMP and considering an internal model of delivering policing services.

The review, conducted by KPMG LLP, found that the per capita spending on policing in Red Deer was $380, lower that the per capita average of nine comparable municipalities in Alberta.

The estimated cost of Municipal Police Services was $445 per capita.

Council's decision to support the RCMP doesn't mean the work is finished.

“Council identified a number of areas we expect to see service improvements in the coming year in response to safety concerns identified by our citizens, and we also elevated our need for systemic issues in the criminal justice system to be resolved to significantly reduce the number of repeat offenders committing crimes in our city,” Mayor Tara Veer said in a written release.

Council also identified strategies to continue to improve community safety in partnership with the RCMP:

  • Advocacy for improvements to the justice system
  • Enhanced authorities for community peace officers
  • A local collision centre
  • Forum for community feedback on community policing needs

Red Deer is home to 101,000 residents.