The Lethbridge Police Service office. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Community Peace Officers to act as a “feeder system” for Lethbridge Police

Jul 15, 2019 | 3:05 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) believes it has enhanced their law enforcement capabilities by introducing a new category of personnel, Community Peace Officers (CPO).

The Ministry of the Solicitor General of Alberta granted the CPOs their authorities last week. They will be allowed to enforce crimes such as theft and mischief under $5,000, can execute search warrants and conduct limited traffic enforcement, while also having authority around substances and gaming-related offenses. They will be able to use pepper spray and batons in the field.

As for theft and mischief, Police Chief Rob Davis believes this will alleviate a lot of the pressure being felt in the downtown core and means that their other investigators can focus on more serious crimes.

He says the CPOs receive the exact same training as regular police officers but are limited in what they are allowed to enforce, comparing it to playing junior hockey versus professional hockey.

“The skills to play hockey in the AJHL are the same as the NHL, but they need to hone their skills, and with that comes a corresponding savings for salary. When they move up to a regular police officer, then they would be making that amount of money.”

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Mayor Chris Spearman told media that this results in a cost saving for the City of Lethbridge, although he did not have the exact numbers on hand.

Davis says there are also efficiencies in having the CPOs being under the direct employment of LPS, whereas in some other cities that have similar officers, they work for the municipality. The chief says this allows CPOs and the police to be in direct contact and work more closely together.

Some have commented on social media that the introduction of the CPOs will create a “two-tiered” policing system in Lethbridge, but Davis thinks it will instead enhance and compliment their already-existing capabilities.

Another criticism Davis noted that he has seen online is that some think that the United Conservative Party created the CPOs and that it was done purely as a cost-saving measure.

“This criticism of the UCP is inappropriate and unwarranted,” says Davis. “The decision to use CPOs in the way we have in Lethbridge is a decision I lead and it was intended to be innovative, operationally-efficient, fiscally-responsible, and most importantly, maximize the existing provisions within the Peace Officer Act.”

The first batch of nine CPOs recently completed their training and should be hitting the field shortly. Davis hopes to have 15 in operation by the end of their current two-year deal with the City of Lethbridge.