Change of Command: prospect of Alberta police force raises concerns over cost, rural crime
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Change of Command: prospect of Alberta police force raises concerns over cost, rural crime
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Author of the article: Trevor Robb
Publishing date: Feb 16, 2021 • February 16, 2021 • 13 minute read • Paul McLauchlin, Reeve for Ponoka County and President of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, is seen with his family s horses on their farm near Pigeon Lake on Monday, Jan. 18. The county has seen high rural crime rates and rising unemployment due to the oil price crash and the COVID-19 pandemic. McLauchlin feels a provincial police force would be expensive and complicated to replace existing RCMP policing in the area. IAN KUCERAK/Postmedia
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“I’m 30 minutes from a police officer.”
This is the day-to-day reality for thousands of rural and small-town Albertans, including Paul McLauchlin, a county councillor and reeve for Ponoka County in central Alberta, which boasts a population of just over 9,000.
Policing issues discussed at AUMA virtual summit
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Policing in the province was the featured subject at an AUMA summit this month.
The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association President’s Summit on Policing saw municipal leaders across the province join one another for a discussion on policing services, changes and advocacy.
In the session on Feb. 4 open to media, AUMA hosted a zoom session focussing on the province’s Police Act Review and the Interim Police Advisory Board.
The Police Act sets out who is responsible for roving police services to Albertans, oversight and governance, requirements for police officers and complaint handling processes.