Inquiry includes recommendations to support peace officer safety following death of MD of Foothills peace officer
The recommendations included in the fatality inquiry into the death of MD of Foothills Peace Officer Rodney Lazenby are currently being reviewed by the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, with details as to how the Government of Alberta will proceed in implementing the recommendations expected to be available shortly.
The complete recommendations are available in the report, but can be summarized as follows:
- Recommendation 1: No distinction be made between level 1 and 2 Community Peace Officers (CPOs) for the purposes of training and weaponry. Any distinction should be drawn between CPOs with enforcement duties and CPOs with administrative duties. It should be left to the employer’s discretion whether level 1 and 2 CPO distinctions are maintained for the purposes of individualized duties.
- Recommendation 2: No CPO should attend for enforcement alone a place where there is a known threat from a person or a known mentally unstable person. All known “risk properties” should be regularly shared with CPOs.
- Recommendation 3: All CPOs should be required to have regular contact with a central depot or dispatch to advise of whereabouts, etc. This communication should occur by radio.
- Recommendation 4: Changes should be made to the Physical Ability Requirement Evaluation (PARE) test to allow older CPOs to pass the test in a prorated manner to account for declining physical abilities which may not allow for passing the PARE test.
As most RMA members employ CPOs, RMA has been monitoring the fatality inquiry and Government of Alberta response to ensure that any changes to how CPOs operate prioritizes the safety of CPOs and employee safety. RMA has collaborated with the Alberta Association of Community Peace Officers (AACPO) and the MD of Foothills in reviewing the recommendations.
For enquiries, please contact:
Wyatt Skovron
Policy Analyst
wyatt@RMAlberta.com
Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
tasha@RMAlberta.com