Calgary – Kent Hehr, Alberta Liberal Shadow Solicitor General and Shadow Minister of Justice, is calling upon Premier Ed Stelmach to clearly and publicly state if he intends to replace the RCMP.

“By removing RCMP officers from traffic related policing duties in selected areas, the government is causing Albertans to wonder if the province is gauging public reaction to the move. Is this the first step to creating a provincial police force?” said Hehr.

“Currently the Solicitor General’s ministry is in the process of renewing our agreement with the RCMP for policing services. We have a proud tradition in Alberta of peace and order thanks to the RCMP. Albertans don’t want to lose that tradition.”

Hehr is worried about the safety of Sheriff’s and Albertans.

“Sheriffs can assist the RCMP in the day-to-day traffic matters such as staffing highway radar zones, with the operational goal of freeing up resources to be used in other areas such as investigations,” he continued.

“Traffic stops on highways are dangerous. Does the Sheriff’s Branch require all members to have the necessary training to safely conduct a roadside traffic stop? These operations can be dangerous even to well trained members of any police force.”

In 2001, a member of the Premier’s cabinet co-authored a letter calling for the province to not renew the contract with the RCMP once it expired and create Alberta’s own police force.

Minister Ted Morton now sits on the front bench with the Premier, in Caucus meetings, and in Cabinet meetings.

“Has Ted Morton swayed the Premier into getting rid of the RCMP? Come clean Premier, are you intending to replace the RCMP?”

Hehr will oppose any move towards granting the Alberta Sheriffs additional powers of arrest.

Read the “firewall” letter.

- 30 –

For more information contact:

Kent Hehr, MLA
Calgary – Buffalo
Alberta Liberal Shadow Minister of Justice
Alberta Liberal Shadow Solicitor General
(403) 629-9477

[direct link to this article]