Jasper residents may have noticed the municipality’s bylaw officers in new duds recently.

Doug Rodwell, manager of utilities for the Municipality of Jasper (MOJ), said the change of uniform in Jasper was done to be in line with the rest of the province. The Government of Alberta wanted all bylaw officers across the province to have the same uniform so that travellers were able to recognize bylaw officers in any town. 

The province has been changing the uniforms over the last two years, and Jasper finally decided to go with the change recently. 

“We just haven’t changed over until the last three months,” Rodwell said. 

Each of the three full-time officers and one part-time officer have brand new uniforms, and each of the bylaw enforcement vehicles have a new look as well. 

Before the change, each municipality chose the dress of their bylaw enforcement officers. At the MOJ’s recent council meeting on July 19, Mayor Richard Ireland brought up the change, saying that he had received comments from the public about the new “authoritarian” look. Verne Balding, director of corporate and legislative services explained the reason for the change to council. 

Rodwell said that although the outfits have changed, the bylaw officers are still very much the same and are carrying out their duties as usual.

“None of the authority has changed, just the gift wrap on the outside,” he said. “They’re still the same happy, cordial people you see everyday.”