Premier Smith told UCP supporters Alberta is creating a new police force ‘out of the sheriffs’

There was confusion over the future of policing in Alberta on Thursday after a video surfaced of the premier telling a UCP townhall that a new policing agency is being created.

“We’ve also decided to create our own police force out of the sheriffs,” Smith told supporters on Aug. 17 in a video posted to Facebook by The Lavigne Show.

Smith made that comment while answering a question about how to gain more political control in Canada’s justice system.

The premier added that’s why a new civilian oversight agency is being created for the Alberta Sheriffs.

The UCP has long mused about replacing the RCMP with an Alberta Police Service.

In 2022, Smith told her public safety minister to “launch an Alberta Police Service” in a mandate letter. Last year, she removed that plan from her party’s election platform.

If Smith has decided to replace RCMP with Alberta Sheriffs, her the finance minister told reporters Thursday he hasn’t been informed.

“No decisions have been made that I’m aware of,” Nate Horner told CityNews.

“I think they see them as filling gaps that exist on the landscape currently. What that becomes, I think it’s kind of a wait and see.”

Surveys have found provincial police unpopular in Alberta and a 2021 report for the government concluded it would cost more than sticking with the Mounties.

“The facts are there remains very little support from taxpayers, the people footing the bill. So, I can only hope that sooner or later the province listens to those people,” said Kevin Halwa with the National Police Federation.

That group represents nearly 20,000 RCMP officers and has launched a website to rally support for keeping the RCMP in Alberta.

Right now, sheriffs mostly work at the legislature, the law courts, patrolling highways or doing fish and wildlife duty but the UCP has been expanding their role in policing and hiring more sheriffs.  

The premier’s office did not respond to CityNews’ request for clarification on Smith’s comments.

Instead, an acting spokesperson for public safety and emergency services sent a statement saying a new, independent police agency is being created but that it will not replace the RCMP. It said provincial officers will work alongside Mounties.

The NDP alleges this is another example of Alberta’s premier saying one thing and doing another. Smith faces a party leadership review in the fall.

“The premier is not concerned about governing this province. She’s more concerned about her leadership vote and she’s making promises at member-only events. That’s completely inappropriate,” said NDP MLA Irfan Sabir.

Horner told CityNews more study is needed for an “apples-to-apples” cost comparison of RCMP versus an Alberta police force, but the NDP says that’s already been done.

“Albertans have been very clear that they don’t want to get rid of the RCMP and I was frankly a little bit disappointed by the ducking and dodging of that question,” said NDP Finance Critic Samir Kayande.

“We do know, the government commissioned a report. That government report said a provincial police force will cost more money.”

The province says the new policing agency plan is still in the early stages and a spokesperson would not provide a timeline.

Alberta’s contract with the RCMP expires in 2032.