City councillors in Grande Prairie have voted in favour of replacing the RCMP with its own municipal police service after a full day of deliberation. (File photo: EverythingGP)

By The Canadian Press

Grande Prairie votes in favour of municipal police service

Mar 7, 2023 | 11:17 AM

GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB – City councillors in Grande Prairie, Alberta have voted in favour of replacing the RCMP with its own municipal police service after a full day of deliberation.

Councillors in the northwestern Alberta city voted nearly unanimously after midnight on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, with only one councillor against the motion.

The council meeting that began Monday, March 6 heard community members and representatives from the RCMP and the National Police Federation present their concerns.

The Alberta government announced last month that it would give Grande Prairie $9.7 million over two years to help cover transitional costs if council were to vote for the city police force.

READ MORE: Alberta to give Grande Prairie $9.7M if city replaces RCMP with municipal officers

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The total cost of the proposed police service is estimated to be $19 million.

The National Police Service said in a statement that it believes the decision is politically motivated and lacks consideration for overall transitional costs.

(The Canadian Press)