4 days ago
Alberta RCMP most cost affective policing option for Rocky Mountain House: report
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The report commissioned by the Town of Rocky Mountain House, located 215 kilometres southwest of Edmonton, found while RCMP contract costs are rising, it was still the most competitive options compared to other alternatives.
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Joyce Tustian, project lead for the report at Western Management Consultants (WMC), said at a council meeting on Aug. 5 the cost of the RCMP compared to other options remain the municipality's 'best deal' because as a smaller municipality, it lacks forces and 'economies of scale.'
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'You just aren't big enough to do the things as a small municipality in a way that is cost effective. We looked at a lot of hybrid and regional models, and we thought that in the longer term, they offer promise, but they're very complex in terms of their design and their implementation, and we don't think that they are going to meet your needs in the short term,' Tustian said.
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'We came to conclusion that the RCMP contract optimization and oversight can provide you with short-term gains and prepare you better for the future.'
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The report looked at five different policing models, including an independent municipal police service, an independent police service and community peace officers, an expanded community peace officer program, an Alberta Provincial Police Service and an optimized RCMP service.
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Hunter Baril, acting press secretary in the Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services, said in a statement to Postmedia that the province remains 'committed' to working with municipal governments to meet local policing needs.
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The province has provided more than $2.2 million under the Indigenous and Municipal Police Transition Study Grant to 35 municipalities, 23 First Nations and eight Métis settlements to study their existing police service and potential alternatives, according to Baril.
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Currently, Rocky Mountain House policing resources are facing 'considerable pressure' due to increasing mental-health crises, social complexities, homelessness and substance-abuse issues, according to the report.
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Rocky Mountain House deputy mayor Tina Hutchinson said the town received $60,000 from the province to conduct the study, along with $30,000 from the municipality to cover costs.
