The Issue
Since 2020, the Alberta government has tried and failed to convince Albertans that creating a new provincial police service is a good idea. Now, in 2025, they’re pushing forward with the same plan under a different name, the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service (ASPS)—without proper consultation, transparency, or a clear business case.
What Is the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service (ASPS)?
The ASPS is a second, parallel, province-run police agency that would operate alongside the RCMP and be offered as a policing option for municipalities. The Province hasn’t explained how it will work, how much it will cost, or how it will improve public safety.
What we do know is that it duplicates existing services, creates massive uncertainty, and comes with a hefty price tag for taxpayers.
Another Panel, Same Rejected Agenda
The provincial government has launched yet another panel, claiming it’s about listening to Albertans. But we’ve seen this before. In 2020, the Fair Deal Panel pitched many of the same ideas. The result? Most weren’t interested in major changes like creating a provincial police service.
What Will It Cost Albertans?
In 2021, the government’s own report estimated $372 million in start-up costs and $164 million more in annual operating costs for a provincial police service. Today, there are no updated cost estimates, despite inflation and a major shift in the province’s fiscal reality.
Shifting the Role of Sheriffs and Adding More Gaps to Our Public Safety System
The Province’s current plan relies on converting ~650 current Alberta sheriffs under their existing mandate, roughly 80% of their workforce of 904 uniformed personnel currently staffed of a 1,068 authorized service into fully trained police officers.
That’s not a simple promotion. It requires full retraining to meet Alberta policing standards, including:
Criminal Code and federal law.
Tactical and use-of-force training.
Evidence handling and investigations.
Mental health and trauma-informed response.
Cultural competency and community policing.
Estimated costs for just 650 sheriffs using publicly available cost data:
$32M
in salary upgrades to align with the average First Class Constables.
$5.9M
in training costs to meet provincial standards.
$8.6M
for new gear, uniforms, and service pistols.
$2M
for body-worn cameras.
This doesn’t even include the millions more needed for new vehicles, infrastructure, IT systems, legal frameworks, civilian oversight, and more.
Sheriffs are already stretched thin, with a 15% vacancy rate. Creating a new agency by reducing their numbers would also take sheriffs away from their existing duties and undermine Alberta’s court security, prisoner transport, and traffic enforcement systems. Taking away 80% of their workforce which is already operating at a 15% vacancy will not improve Albertans’ safety or security. The government has not clarified how these gaps will be addressed.
Albertans Have Spoken:
(Pollara Strategic Insights, April 2025)
What Can We Do?
Instead of spending hundreds of millions on a second police service Albertans don’t want, let’s work together to invest in and improve the RCMP. That means:
- Hiring more officers.
- Investing in modern equipment.
- Enhancing service delivery to meet growing public safety demands.
Albertans aren’t asking for a new police service. They’re asking for better support for the one they already trust.