Town of Coaldale passes police committee bylaw

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Sunny South News

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

The Town of Coaldale is one step closer to establishing its own police committee, after town councillors unanimously passed Police Committee Bylaw 910-R-02-25 at the Feb. 3 regular council meeting. 

Manager of community policing Mark Anderson presented the proposed bylaw and provided some details about the police committee, its requirements and answered council’s questions about it. 

The Police Act of Alberta was amended in 2022 and in 2024 several new regulations were added. Police committees are now legislated and the town, policed by a contract with the RCMP, (via a municipal police service agreement or MPSA) is required to be part of a regional police committee or form their own Coaldale police committee, with approval from the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services. 

Municipalities between 5,000-14,999 population under an MPSA, wishing to form their own police committee were directed to apply to the minister, create a local police committee bylaw and enact it for presentation to the minister by March 1, 2025. 

The town disbanded its community safety advisory committee in 2019 and in October 2024 council appointed three council members to a police committee. The province released the regulations to the Police Amendment Act detailing the structure of committees on Oct. 31, 2024 and in December Town of Coaldale councillors directed administration to pursue the formation of a Coaldale police committee.  

In his presentation, Anderson noted that the town could either join a regional policing committee or apply to the minister to form their own.  

“It does not, however allow us to form a policing committee with a county or an agency which is a town that is under 5,000 population. So that means the closest one that would be a possibility to form a regional policing committee would be Bassano, Brooks, those areas,” explained Anderson, noting that previous council direction requested the town approach the ministry and ask permission to form its own policing committee.

Mayor Jack Van Rijn invited RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Numan to the table to share his view from a policing perspective, on what this committee will do.  

“In order to satisfy the government, I think forming a committee at the town level would address some needs of the town specifically, and maybe would be different than if you were to join Banff, they have different needs,” said Numan. “I think to address your needs, this is the way to do it. It’s specific and we can mould the committee into something that’s useful for myself as a detachment commander and the town and its residents as well. I think that’s the best option at this point.” 

Van Rijn also asked Anderson to note when citizens could join the policing committee.  

“Once the committee is launched by council, council can then open up an invitation to citizens within the town who wish to be a member of the policing committee,” said Anderson, noting the proposed committee structure would include a minimum of three to a maximum of seven members. “The town can decide for itself how many members it actually wants to have at any one time and also the eligibility for that.”