Alberta Police Beat Fall 2023

Alberta

Police Beat VOLUME 1 • NO. 14

AFPA

Alberta

Police Beat ALBERTA FEDERATION OF POLICE ASSOCIATIONS 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CORY KERR

AFPA

President of AFPA Vice President of Edmonton Police Association

GRAHAM ERNST

Vice President of AFPA Director of Calgary Police Association

MARC GAUMONT

Secretary/Treasurer of AFPA Treasurer of Lethbridge Police Association

MARK FLYNN

Director/Editor of AFPA Vice President of Medicine Hat Police Association

ALEX SHAW

Director of AFPA Director of Edmonton Police Association

Volume 1 No. 14

Index

5 FROM THE PRESIDENT Cory Kerr

7 FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT Graham Ernst

9 FROM THE SECRETARY/TREASURER Marc Gaumont

13 FROM THE DIRECTOR/EDITOR Mark Flynn

15 FROM THE DIRECTOR Alex Shaw

17 FROM THE DIRECTOR Jason Vowles

21 FROM THE DIRECTOR Brent Hutt

BRENT HUTT

Director of AFPA Director of Calgary Police Association

JASON VOWLES

Director of AFPA President of Taber Police Association

HOWARD BURNS Executive Director

The opinions and comments expressed in Police Beat are those of the writers and are made without prejudice. They are not necessarily the position of the AFPA or its Executive. The inclusion of third party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, or recommendation by the AFPA board or its membership.

Reproduction of articles and artwork is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the AFPA. Publication Agreement #42846013

Designed & Published By:

SPG

Shield Publishing Group Police Beat is published by Shield Publishing Group on behalf of the AFPA. Contact info: president@shieldpublishinggroup.com

On The Cover: Photo submitted

by Ryan Dumontel of Camrose Police Service Alberta Police Beat

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Message from the New AFPA President

I

want to start my first article as AFPA President by extending my gratitude to outgoing AFPA President Chris Young of the Calgary Police Association for his dedication and leadership in this role over the past several years. Chris did a wonderful job welcoming me into AFPA in 2023 and he will be missed in this organization for his passion and dedication to helping all members in Alberta. Thank you Chris for your commitment, and I know you will continue your work at the CPA helping out the members in Calgary.

Secondly, a huge thank you to AFPA Director Mark Flynn and everyone at the Medicine Hat Police Association for putting on a great Annual General Meeting in Medicine Hat at the end of May. We all had a great time in the Hat, and you’ve set a benchmark for those here in Edmonton that have to plan next year’s AGM. We will continue forward with having engaged and informative speakers that can bring pertinent information to all AFPA agencies that will allow them to provide continued excellent representation for our Police members in our respective agencies.

Finally, a thank you to the new members of AFPA, as well as those returning after the AGM. Graham Ernst in his new VP role, Marc Gaumont continuing as Secretary/Treasurer; Mark Flynn, Jason Vowles, Alex Shaw, and Brent Hutt as Directors, and finally Howard Burns as our Executive Director. I look forward to working with you all over the next few years as we collaborate on new ideas to improve things for members across the province.

Since the last article I wrote for AFPA, much has changed in the province. The Government of Alberta has announced that the formal pursuit of the Alberta Provincial Police is no longer something they are currently examining, and it has been placed on the shelf for future considerations. The provincial independent ‘watchdog’ agency – The Police Review Commission continues to press forward and is likely to be created sometime in the near future, causing a ripple effect through all Police

agencies in Alberta. The partnership program with the Alberta Sheriffs has been extended in Edmonton, while it has ended in Calgary. Grande Prairie has formally hired a Chief of Police and will begin building their Service soon, which will have implications for both AFPA and SFPP. How do we all deal with the constant and ever evolving change as it relates to policing?

For anyone that has been involved in policing, whether it be for a short period of time or for those with decades of experience, we all know there is one constant in policing – change. We have all heard the saying in one form or the next – “I don’t like the way things are, but I don’t want to deal with the change either”.

We’ve all experienced it – new Chiefs of Police with their own goals and agendas when coming in to take over a Police Service; newly promoted members of management who want to leave their mark on their work areas (sometimes even when no change is needed – remember, if it isn’t broke, don’t ‘fix’ it), new members to our agencies, changes to laws by government, new technology, programs, forms, reports, reporting systems, equipment, technology, training, vehicles, systems, work areas, organizational structure, court procedures, judicial authorizations – the list goes on and on and on.

Small changes may not seem like much to those continually working in the same environments and work areas, but when you leave a certain area and return some time later, it is profound how much those small changes can impact you.

Speaking from experience, I can remember exiting patrol for a period of approximately 18 months, and upon my return, I was dumbfounded at how fast everything seemed to move, and how much of what I knew before no longer applied due to the changes.

I noted that those I was working with moved at a pace I could no longer match, and for a time, I felt like I had regressed severely in my duties pertaining to my knowledge base and ability to take on my previous level of workload. It was a shock to the system, but over time things returned to my previous level of abilities, and I once again was able to work at a pace I was proud of, while remaining up to date and knowledgeable of all applicable laws, Continued on page 6 Alberta Police Beat

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Continued from page 5 forms, training, systems, policies, procedures and more.

When it comes to changes in your organizations, there are several recommendations that we can all implement to make change easier and help ourselves and our co workers along through this change we all must deal with.

Maintain your relationships Stay in touch with your previous co-workers and continue to expand your network with the new people that you meet.

Movement in Police agencies is constant, so you may have the opportunity to work with several of the same people over and over in your career. Knowing where people are working and where they have previously worked in your agencies can benefit you as you deal with change and have questions that will help you along. Reach out to those former coworkers to tap into their knowledge base that may assist you and others around in adjusting to change.

Keep Communicating Whether change is in play or not, constant communication is key for us all. Gaps in communication as a result of change can be filled by assumptions and speculation, which may lead to creating more issues relating to the change you are experiencing.

Proper communication can alleviate anxiety and establish clear expectations and goals with those you work for and around in your areas of work. Don’t be afraid to bring questions and

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suggestions to your supervisors, but also come armed with solutions and ideas. A true leader in any organization welcomes questions and suggestions from their employees and does not shy away from conversations that may challenge their own perspective. Be honest and upfront.

Self-Reflect and take care of yourself Take time to relax and reflect - what have you accomplished prior to change, and what are your goals after the change is implemented?

What skills do you need to obtain, who do you need to meet with, and how can you take stock of your new situation? Talk with your boss to make sure they’re aware of what is needed for the changes to be successful. Finally, how is the change impacting you? Are the changes going to be something you can tolerate, or is it time to move to a new position in the organization where you will be more enthused and comfortable to work at? Take breaks as needed. Don’t take Don’t overtax yourself to the point of change affecting you inside and outside of work.

Overall, we know that change will never be stopped in organizations as large as the ones we all work in. It is important, however, to remember that you yourself can also be an agent of change – in your current roles, in your organizations and in your personal lives. If change is thrust upon you by others is affecting you on different levels – invoke your own change to improve your situation. Do what you can to control change, don’t let it control you!

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reetings, fellow AFPA members. I hope this article finds you well-rested after spending an incredible summer with family and friends. I was fortunate enough to burn up all my annual leave and some time bank for a family getaway. Spending that time rejuvenated me and allowed me to be gone long enough to start looking forward to returning to work. It feels good to be excited to get back to the grind, and that wouldn’t be the case without a break. I’ve already booked my holidays for next year, and I recommend you do the same.

In this article, I will share my experience negotiating our last two contracts in Calgary through arbitration. I know that many associations successfully avoided this process. However, I hope a brief overview will provide some information for those who haven’t been through it.

As I write this article, we are almost a month past the announcement of our arbitration award. Some of the shock has worn off, and I have had time to reflect. I believe we deserved more, but in the end, we accomplished a lot and moved closer to the top of the best-paid police officers in the country. The entire Board, especially President John Orr and VP of Finance John Burdyny, worked incredibly hard to get the absolute best for the Calgary membership. I want to thank them specifically.

When the award finally came, I admit, I was a little disappointed and frustrated. Of course, I wanted to be at the top. Of course, we should have received a patrol premium. But considering that the City’s opening position was 0’s and possibly rollbacks, I am confident we did well.

If I’m honest, I hope the City of Calgary felt the same frustration our members and I felt with the award. After all the waiting and hard work that went into the negotiations, I hope it also stings a little for them. That said, I also know that the arbitration award was fair because everyone was left feeling a little underwhelmed.

If the Arbitrator returned with a ruling favoring one side or the other too much, they would never be hired back again. This is because both sides of the negotiating table need to agree on the

Arbitrator beforehand. Had he given us everything we wanted and pounded the City of Calgary with a huge pay raise, the City would never have agreed to use him the next time. It is said that the sign of a good arbitration award is one where everyone leaves a little mad. That is certainly true in this case.

I have now been on the CPA Board for two separate negotiations.

Both resulted in arbitration. Each time was a little different, but I can say that we have learned and improved each time, which is the goal of all Association Boards. During this last round, we hired the top labour lawyer in the Province to assist us right from the get-go.

He was there with us every step of the way and ensured we didn’t miss a thing. He is familiar with the Arbitrator and put us in the best possible position to succeed. When it came time to present at arbitration, our lawyer was masterfully prepared and punched holes in each of the City’s positions. I am 100% sure that we were victorious on a balance of probabilities. It wasn’t even close.

That means that in Calgary, we have been out of contract since January 2021. Two years and eight months later, we finally have our 3-year contract. That’s right.... we will start negotiating again in January 2024.

Despite the significant amount of time this process takes, all we can do is learn our lessons and get back to work preparing for the next one.

One of the most common questions from our membership is, “Why does it take so long to get a deal done?”

The first reason is that both sides try to use time to their advantage. During the early part of 2021, we were facing another round of COVID, and the economy still hadn’t recovered. In Calgary, the CPA consulted with our expert and determined that negotiating under those economic conditions was less than ideal, so we decided to wait to begin serious talks. By delaying, we allowed time for the economy to recover, putting us in a better position to negotiate. Unfortunately, the City can use the same tactic if they choose.

Continued on page 8 Alberta Police Beat

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Continued from page 7 The second reason the process takes so long is that the CPA negotiating committee is the one that brings the information to the table and can make the decisions. In contrast, the City uses a negotiating committee that has to go back each time to the City manager and City council for a decision to be made. That means a very long and tedious game of telephone as the City people run back to their principles for decisions. This is very common in City negotiations. Remember that we are only one of the eleven City unions in Calgary to negotiate with. This makes for even more frustrating delays.

Finally, it takes a long time because of the process that both sides need to follow for negotiations. The Police Officers Collective Bargain Act (POCBA) sets out the process. We first need to make a reasonable effort to negotiate a new agreement. If and when that fails, we are legally required to try to find a solution with a provincially recognized mediator. Both the City and the CPA select a mediator and book a time. Many months later, we finally meet with the mediator to see if we can find some common ground. Once reasonable efforts to find a solution with the help of a mediator are exhausted, we can apply to the Province for binding arbitration.

This step takes more time. The City and CPA then agree on an Arbitrator, and the waiting continues, and months tick by.

Finally, we get in a room with the Arbitrator. Once we present at arbitration, the Arbitrator needs several months to prepare his award. The next several months are spent confirming that both sides’ information and data is accurate and fair. The Arbitrator relies heavily on precedents set in other arbitration awards and must conduct research. Next, they detail the reasons for the eventual decision at length. Ultimately, I think this last part is the CYA we all know and love. The Arbitrator needs to be able to justify his reasoning and ensure he is not setting his own precedent. Time grinds to a halt.

In Calgary, we spent the next few months speculating about the

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award. We also spent a lot of time calculating and then spending our back pay before there was even a date for when the cheques would arrive. It takes a long time and drives the membership and the Board up the wall.

Finally, the announcement is made, and the CPA Board, at least, begins preparing to do it again.

I have found the negotiating process to be long and frustrating.

I have also found it incredibly rewarding and worth all the trouble. We continue to look at new ways of doing business to ensure that we represent your interests to the best of our abilities. We compare notes with every police association across the country continually to ensure we are on the cutting edge of negotiations and are best positioned to get you the most we can. Moving into the next round of talks, we are actively looking for ways to streamline the negotiating process and get a better deal done sooner.

In Calgary, we will be reaching out in the near future for ideas, thoughts and opinions on what is most important to the membership. I encourage you to contact your respective Associations, let them know what you want to see, and provide feedback. Association Boards ultimately take their direction from you, the membership. Be sure to have your say.

I believe that the highest purpose of any Association Board is to negotiate the best possible deal and ensure that the needs and wants of the members are included. Your AFPA Board wants the same thing and provides several opportunities for Alberta’s Associations to compare notes and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

I’m already looking forward to getting back to the negotiating table.

Play safe.

H

appy summer everyone! Of course, by the time this gets to publication and you are reading this, it will be the fall issue, but Mark insisted we get our articles in by mid-August, so I found some time during my Holidays and the Summer heat to put pen to paper.

I have been watching the news as I often do and have been keeping a close eye on what has been occurring in Surrey, B.C. and also locally in Alberta with Grande Prairie. As you are well aware both communities have started the process of transitioning away from the RCMP to their own municipal police service to fulfill the policing needs of their respective communities.

So why are communities looking to make this transition and is this a potential sign of things to come? The recent election in Alberta would suggest that Alberta is prime for a change in how we provide policing across the Province.

Looking back, the RCMP have a long history within the province of Alberta. They first established a permanent post at Fort Macleod in 1874 and in 1876, the RCMP performed their riding skills for the public in what would be now the musical ride. You can still attend Fort Macleod today and watch the historical ride and this past July, at the Fort in Fort Macleod, the RCMP celebrated the 150th anniversary of the ride. Growing up in small communities in southern Alberta, I watched as RCMP members would come to the community, police for several years and then move on to another community and another post. It is perhaps this instability of the RCMP officer policing their community that sparked a need from cities like Grande Prairie and Surrey to establish their own police service.

The city of Grande Prairie recently conducted a municipal police service review and, in that review, they looked at retention. The review noted that RCMP members can submit for postings; however, those postings are all governed by operational needs. It further noted that the number of times a RCMP officer will be relocated depends on the role of the

officer, promotional interests, human resourcing needs and available opportunities. It goes on to state that the average tenure of RCMP police officers assigned to Grande Prairie is estimated to be 4 to 5 years, but notes that officers who on their second or subsequent posting choose to stay in Grande Prairie for several years longer. I know that in the mid 1990’s I applied to several municipal police services as opposed to the RCMP and that was specifically to avoid the notion that once a member of the RCMP, you will never spend your entire career in one community and could be forced to move your family for other opportunities or even promotion. Granted, the RCMP do not move their members as often as they once did, but as the child of a banker, I remember that I would, as if by habit, start to pack up every 3 years knowing full well that we would be on the move soon. This nomadic lifestyle is not one I wanted and definitely did not want for my family.

The Government of Alberta’s (GOA) conducted a review of policing in Alberta and the talk of a Provincial Police Service began to grow. Was it this chatter that launched the interest of the community to push forward on their own police service?

Perhaps it was the new collective agreement of the RCMP and their increase in salary bringing them more in line with the salaries of their municipal partners, thus driving the cost of policing for their communities they serve that drove this narrative. I personally believe it may be a combination of both along with the notion that the municipality has more control over the biggest line item on their budget, namely the police service. By having their own municipal police service, the city itself can make the decision to increase the police budget, negotiate the contract and determine their authorized strength. The city can also determine what services their police service will provide to their community to ensure the safety and security for their citizens.

In the discussion for the implementation of a Provincial Police Service the GOA looked at policing for Albertans in a 4 type of detachment approach. These detachments or hubs Continued on page 11 Alberta Police Beat

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Continued from page 9 were broken down into “community detachments”, “service hubs”, “regional hubs” and “detachments serving indigenous communities”. Should the Provincial Police come to fruition, then an established Grande Prairie Police Service (GPPS) would no doubt push the service to a regional hub to assist the North with their access to other services including Forensics, K-9 and tactical to name a few.

Quite possibly the biggest advantage for their own police service is the ability for the City of Grande Prairie to adopt a “recruit in Grande Prairie, for Grande Prairie” strategy. This would allow someone from the community to remain in their community not only providing a service to their community

while at work, but just as importantly, having their own community (Friends and Family) support them during their time away from home. I know that as a Father of 2, having Grandparents close was a huge benefit for when schools would call with news of a sick kid or when summer came around and daycare wasn’t always the option.

I look forward to the notion of having another police service and their association members being represented on the AFPA board and table. Is Red Deer or perhaps Fort McMurray next?

Only time will tell.

Take care and be safe.

Alberta Police Beat 11

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What It Means to Be a Police Association Rep

eing a rep for a police association, both for your own agency, and the Alberta Federation of Police Associations (AFPA), is both an honor and a tremendous responsibility. The job requires us to wear many hats - advocate, negotiator, educator, and counselor, among others, while balancing the interests of our members with the overall goal of effective, fair, and responsible policing.

Voice of the Collective One of the primary roles we serve is to be the collective voice for over 4,000 police officers from 8 different Police Associations across Alberta. These are men and women who put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect our communities. It is our duty to ensure that their concerns, needs, and aspirations are heard, not just within the confines of the individual agencies, but also in the halls of provincial and national government.

Collective bargaining is another area where the police association takes center stage. Contract Negotiations are usually the first thing people think about when they hear “police association.”

While salary is important, the scope goes way beyond that. We advocate for comprehensive healthcare, better equipment, and improved working conditions. All of which become increasingly important in the context of staffing shortages and reduced resources. In a time when our members are overworked, it is our Associations that fight for members’ well-being, making the profession more appealing to both current and future hires as they too are looking at these factors when choosing where to submit their resumes.

The matters we advocate for aren’t just for the benefit of the members. Well-trained, well-equipped police officers can serve the community more effectively. It’s a win-win situation for the members, and the community.

Handling Public Opinion and Rebuilding Trust in a Crisis When things get tense, like during big protests or in response to police related headlines in the news, our job gets even harder. One trend that we see too often, certainly from South of the border is that when police services are understaffed and overworked, mistakes are more likely to happen, and each mistake can significantly affect public opinion. The rise of social media means that information, both good and bad, can spread like wildfire.

Managing public perception isn’t about ‘spin’ or manipulation; it’s about transparency and constructive dialogue. Police associations are responsible for navigating this sensitive environment with transparency, addressing both the concerns of the community and the morale of the members. Failing to manage this balance can amplify recruiting and retention problems, making the associations’ role even more critical. We also work to counteract misinformation and build relationships with community leaders, fostering mutual understanding and respect.

Support and Welfare As we all know too well, policing is a high-stress job that often takes a toll on our mental and physical health. As part of the association’s role, we focus on the well-being of our members.

This includes providing access to mental health resources and investing in our members’ physical health. Our goal is to create an environment where police officers feel safe and supported throughout their careers and lives.

Legal Guardian In the current socio-political climate, police actions are more scrutinized than ever. Legal challenges and disciplinary actions against officers are not uncommon. Police associations ensure that our members have access to expert legal advice Continued on page 14 Alberta Police Beat 13

Continued from page 13 and representation when faced with such challenges. This safeguards not only their individual rights but also the integrity of policing as a whole.

The Double Shortage Just like we need more cops; we need more people to put their names forward for positions with their respective associations.

The job is demanding, but it is more important than ever. It is imperative that members who want to make a difference step forward and join those who stand behind the thin blue line to ensure they are heard, and properly represented.

A Balancing Act While representing the interests of our members, we must also recognize that these interests must be balanced with the obligations to our communities. In advocating for our members, we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture—that our ultimate goal is to serve and protect the community to

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the best of our ability.

Conclusion Being a police association representative is not just a job; it’s a dedicated effort to support law and order while actively standing up for the men and women in uniform who maintain it. For me, it means standing at the intersection of law enforcement, politics, community relations, and social justice. My goal is to make sure that our members have everything they need, including adequate resources, backing, support, and the respect they deserve that allows them to do their jobs well. Through focused initiatives to speak up for our members, smart negotiating tactics, and ongoing training, my aim is to improve the quality of life for our members. In doing so, I believe we’re also making our communities better, safer places to live.

Be safe, and take care of eachother

Our Family

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hy we do, what we do.

It’s 0200hrs on a Saturday in the middle of January, it’s -23 with blowing snow and it’s your last day of the set with only 5 or so hours left in your shift and worried about the paperwork you’ve got to sort out… then, a priority call comes in, of a break and enter… or gun complaint… or stabbing… or… or... or... you get the idea. We’ve all been there, but guess what, it’s go time!

It’s 2030 hrs in June, and you’re in the changeroom getting ready for first watch shift in half an hour, you’ve just scoffed down dinner and a piece of birthday cake as it’s your child’s 9th birthday and off to work you go, missing the remainder of the family celebration. Again, it’s go time!

These are just a couple of examples of what members work through for the sake of their chosen career and balance those responsibilities to the citizens they protect and serve with their personal and family responsibilities which are generally lower down that priority list.

It takes a dedicated individual with strong internal drive to do what we do, but we also must be cognizant that we also need to take care of ourselves. There will be times of ultimate confidence in your investigations, your decision-making process, your internal interactions with members of your service, and external interactions with members of the public who are outright strangers, or stakeholders you’ve had years of building a relationship with. There will also be times of selfdoubt, about making the right decisions, or doing enough in our investigations, or could we have said something different with our interactions.

Being a police officer, specifically here in Alberta, comes with some unwritten warnings that we encounter during our careers and only those warnings can be explained through sheer personal

experience. Sure, we’ve been told you will be watched, and every time you drive your marked police vehicle by some pedestrians or other motorists, they will look at you as if it’s been the first time they’ve ever seen a police car before. But the reality of being a police officer is, people ARE watching you. Whether they are three feet away or two blocks away, or on camera - whether it’s a smartphone or CCTV, we ARE under a microscope and instantly judged. Our reputations follow us, professionally and personally.

Whether it’s your choice of words during an interaction or your body language, the intention versus impact is enormous. Sure, some other professions might go through this type of scrutiny (possibly athletes or politicians go through similar experiences) but we are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year… every year, and we make split second decisions that could be life altering for all involved.

We need to be there for each other, be strong for each other, show support for each other, because individuals that oversee our services come and go. Chief’s come and go, members of police commissions come and go, politicians come and go but the one constant in our careers is the strength of fellow members that we can rely on, day in and day out.

The overnight shifts, the missed birthdays, working on weekends and holidays away from family, not to mention the type of calls we attend, organizational stress and the public scrutiny. We do what we do because of who we are. We have an internal drive and a sense of service above all else. To help people on their worst days, but we also need to be there for each other as well.

The question is, if we are there for everyone and are criticized at every turn, who’s there for us?

The answer… We all should be! Remember, if we take care of each other, everything else takes care of itself.

Stay safe!

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16 Fall 2023

Small Country Mouse in the Big City!

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his April along with now president Cory Kerr, I was fortunate enough to attend the Canadian Police Association Legislative Conference, “Lobby days”, in Ottawa, on behalf of AFPA. Now, the CPA is the voice of 60,000 police personnel throughout Canada, AFPA provides representation and support to over 4000 police officers, out of which Taber has 16. A small number but ultimately the same job, duties and accountability.

To be honest, I was not sure what to expect. The thought of little old me, from small town Taber representing not only my service, but the whole of Alberta’s Policing Associations in front of the many more experienced and educated peers and Members of Parliament appeared daunting at first, but also looking forward to it at the same time.

Heading to the nation’s capital on this great adventure, having never (in Canada) travelled east of Medicine Hat, I was fortunate to be accompanied by AFPA and LPS secretary Marc Gaumont ad LPS President Jay Macmillan. The latter had been invited as a topic speaker.

for granted of the police.

On to Lobby days and of course Politics! Bail reform was the hot topic. The three main political parties were invited to address the delegates on issues related to policing.

Peter Julien (NDP House Leader), Pierre Pollievre (Progressive Conservative Leader), and Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety) all spoke well, all purpoted to support the Police and public safety.

My opinion, and it is only my opinion, based on these presentations, is that: The NDP who have historically been a union negotiators dream party, would like to be in a position to be able to make decisions, but are the minority in a government where, to be realistic, they really have no say. Perhaps one day.

The Liberal position appears to be that, they have supported law enforcement by providing vast amounts of monies, but not really much direction or support on what to do with it.

Did I feel out of my depth? At first yes, being new to the AFPA board and the bigger stage of association business, I felt like a fish out of water, but soon found other Alberta association members, and others familiar through training courses and Law enforcement sporting events.

The Conservative party of course take a more hard line approach on crime, but to achieve that they need to support and develop policing throughout the country to of course be accountable to the public that we protect but also to be able to do the job.

Common sense policing. Perhaps we will see next election.

A few coffees, conversations, and a few more hoppy beverages later, the reality is that we are all human, have families, face the same pressures and expectations in our profession and ultimately strive for the same goals, to provide our members with the safety, protection, and working conditions needed to perform the duties that the majority of the general public take

After all the talks and presentations it was on to Parliament hill where I met with Glen Motz: MP for Medicine Hat - Cardston - Warner, Blake Richards: MP for Banff - Airdrie, and Blaine Calkins: MP for Red Deer - Lacombe.

Topics on discussion included Defund the Police/Police reform, Continued on page 19 Alberta Police Beat 17

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Continued from page 17 Firearms, Decriminalization of illegal drugs, and Bail Reform.

All three MPs are Conservative Party members. All three were very supportive of the Police and had great ideas and opinions on the topics at hand.

It’s easy to say coming from a service in Southern Alberta that the Conservative party appears to be the party for policing and my experiences in Ottawa really showed nothing to change that.

I am not here to sway anyone in their political leanings, and as I repeatedly advise my clients, whether it be victims or accused, it is just the facts, admittedly filtered through me, but as always I strive to provide a clear and true picture on which decisions are based.

Back to Jay Macmillan, President of Lethbridge Police Association. For him to stand up and give a presentation in front of us all, about the trials and tribulations he, his association, and service have gone through over the last few years. I have known Jay for a long time now and Kudos to him for the presentation and also for being able to learn from him in the discussions held with the MPs. Finally a big shout out to Taber Police Associations own, Leighton Motz (Coincidentally related to the above mentioned MP Glen Motz), who recently entered the World Police Fire Games held in Winnipeg, where he won Gold in the Toughest Competitor Alive competition. Having never competed in anything like this before, Leighton off his own back, entered and began diligently training for the competition. Congratulations Leighton!

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s a new Director of the Alberta Federation of Police Associations this is my first article for the magazine. To introduce myself, I have been a member of the Calgary Police Association for 23 years and was newly elected into the CPA this past January. I have spent the majority of my career on uniform patrol and recently transferred to our downtown as a Patrol Sergeant. Throughout my career I subscribed to the saying “a change is better than a rest”, and never having policed in this district I thought now was a good time. Downtown is definitely a different beast from the southern area I patrolled before. With rampant drug use, mental health issues, violence, and a small cadre of patrol officers, this keeps us running call to call most of the time. I quite enjoy the faster pace and working along such a great group of officers, though the “hangovers” from shift work remain the same. I recall when I first joined hearing from senior members who would share stories of policing “before the Charter”, many would laugh and talk about how much policing has changed. I find myself now, reminiscing with members of my vintage, before cell phones what they are now and the constant scrutiny we face and often say: “I wouldn’t want to be starting as a police officer now”. I am not sure if policing now is

harder then in the past or just different, but I do believe strongly that as a group of Associations we must continue to ensure our voices are heard locally, provincially and nationally.

Many mentioned when I was elected it is like “drinking from the firehose” as I learn the various roles and responsibilities of being part of the Association. I have been fortunate to attend an AFPA meeting in Medicine Hat not long ago and met many members from across the Province. Up until then I worked in my own little world in Calgary and quickly learnt the issues and problems I thought were somewhat unique to our organization were very similar across the Province in one way or another. Staffing shortages, low morale, lack of strong leadership at the executive level seemed to be a consistent theme with many of the members I spoke with. What I also found was a strong sense of pride in the career we all chose and the desire to make it better for the members we all serve. I look forward to continuing to work with Associations throughout our Province to ensure what is important to us is heard at all levels.

Take care and stay safe.

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22 Fall 2023

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24 Fall 2023

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