A majority of rural Albertans agree that support funding be continued for the RCMP to keep communities safe
The RMA partnered with the University of Lethbridge to conduct a province-wide public opinion survey related to Albertans’ perceptions of policing. The results give insight to rural Albertans’ opinions on safety within their communities, trust in the justice system, trust in the RCMP, and provincial police reform. Positive public perception of police is an important component of public safety. Police rely on cooperation, trust, and support from the public to effectively carry out their responsibilities, so it is essential that policing administration reflects the needs of those it serves. This survey fills an important gap in recent research on this issue by focusing specifically on the perception of rural Albertans.
Some highlights from the survey include:
- 76% of respondents feel safe in their community.
- Nearly 67% of respondents have a high level of trust in the RCMP.
- Less than 9% of respondents believe that the RCMP should be dissolved.
- Less than 23% of respondents believe that Alberta should have its own police force.
At the RMA Spring Convention in 2022, RMA members passed Resolution 4-22S: “Continued Support for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta,” which requests that the Government of Alberta not create an Alberta Provincial Police Service (APPS). The survey results align with the intent of the resolution and verifies that the concerns that the RMA and rural municipal leaders have expressed related the formation of a provincial police service are shared by rural Albertans more broadly.
Rural municipalities and residents want police services that are as responsive as possible and allow Albertans to feel safe in their homes, and believe that the RCMP can best deliver on these requirements.
Further information about provincial police transitions can be found here.
Kallie Wischoff
Policy Advisor
825.319.2245
kallie@RMAlberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com