Alberta Sheriffs union, association raise concerns about provincial police plan

Alberta Sheriffs are pushing back on the government’s plan to form a police force. The Alberta Sheriffs Branch Officers Association, in a press release Wednesday, say they are deeply concerned by the proposed creation of a new police force under Bill 49 that was introduced on Monday.

Bill 49 includes the creation of a Crown corporation that would operate a future independent force made up of about 600 Alberta Sheriffs trained as police officers.

The association said the transition of these 600 officers will create confusion, job displacement and a disruption to public trust.

However, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis says the new force will increase law enforcement capacity and is a response to concerns that RCMP costs are rising, and that rural Albertans are waiting too long for help after calling 911.

“I want to thank Alberta Sheriffs for speaking out because, frankly, this bill should be dead on arrival. What we’ve heard is that Albertans don’t want a provincial police force, our rural leaders don’t want a provincial police force, and now Alberta Sheriffs themselves, the key lynchpin, the minister cannot do this without them, they are saying they do not want to be part of a provincial police force,” said David Shepard, Alberta NDP Public Safety Shadow Minister.

The AUPE, which is the official union of the Sheriffs, said some members are open to becoming police officers and some are not, but they all need to be paid more.

“Currently, Sheriffs make anywhere between $50,000-$85,000 a year, which is grossly under what an RCMP officer makes. We’ve never claimed that they do the same work as RCMP officers, but they don’t get paid for the work they currently do,” Bobby-Joe Borodey, vice-president of AUPE said.

“Clearly, the government is planning to take over much of the work currently done by the RCMP. If it wants this new police force to succeed, the first step must be to create the conditions that will allow it to recruit and retain officers,” she added.

In a statement to CityNews, Minister Ellis said the province is recruiting a new chief for a Sheriffs police agency who will determine staffing, adding that it will be inappropriate for him to talk about salaries because collective bargaining is underway.