Strathmore RCMP to increase in number
By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Strathmore RCMP detachment has been earmarked for funding to fill one new officer position, as part of the province’s 2020-21 police funding model for the Alberta RCMP.
Currently, the Strathmore RCMP detachment is comprised of 22 constables, four corporals, one sergeant and one staff sergeant.
Besides the Strathmore position, the Alberta government is funding dozens of additional RCMP positions in other areas of the province, mainly to help address rural crime.
The announcement on July 2 stated the initiative provides funding for 76 new police officers and 57 new civilian support positions in rural communities across Alberta.
The funding is a response to rural Albertans asking for action against rural crime, said Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, in a statement. “Putting more boots on the ground in rural Alberta will help protect residents and ensure they feel safe in their communities,” he said.
The RCMP employs an integrated service delivery model, meaning individual detachments are supported by centralized officers, specialized units and civilian support positions.
According to the RCMP, 46 positions have been filled to increase rural policing levels and improve rural crime reduction efforts, including 25 frontline police positions in Alberta rural communities, 18 centralized police officer positions, and three civilian support positions providing administrative and program support.
The resources were allocated based on a workload analysis for each detachment that considered travel time, call volume, the type of crimes in each area, the duration of investigations, detachment time and time available for proactive policing, including strategic patrols, community engagement, school outreach and attending community events.
The funding will support 10 new positions in the call back unit (CBU), which manages lower priority calls that do not require direct police attendance. Cited examples include stolen property, minor motor vehicle accidents, “gas-n’dash”, and general inquiries. The CBU, based in Calgary and Edmonton, allows frontline members to focus on higher priority calls, emergencies and proactive policing, according to the RCMP.
Also funded are two new positions within the “K” member operational support section, which provides oversight, guidance and monitoring of high-risk incidents, events in progress and multi-jurisdictional events.
The funding supports six positions in specialized units, including three positions in provincial child advocacy centres, for investigations relating to offences against children and youth, and three positions in the south emergency response team, which works to resolve high-risk situations.
The newly funded civilian positions include fours positions for the offender management program, which identifies high-impact offenders and provides them with a “collaborative support system including police, justice, mental health, social services and addictions support.” Also included are four community engagement and outreach specialist positions that work with rural crime watch and citizen patrol groups in an effort to reduce rural crime.