Fuchsia Dragon | [email protected]
Peace Officers in Jasper could be getting more specialised training to help them in potentially dangerous situations.
Or some of their powers could be stripped.
Peace officers are responsible for animal control, bylaw enforcement, enforcement of provincial statutes and business licensing, lost and found bicycles and parking control.
And following the review of a peace officer fatality in the field in Calgary, Community Peace Officer (CPO) status is getting an overhaul.
Currently there are two designations: Level 1 and Level 2.
CPO Level 1 is higher than Level 2. Level 1 officers are given special training covering officer safety, defensive tactics and weapons training. They are authorised to carry weapons such as batons, pepper spray, handcuffs and body armour.
And in Alberta, all CPOs will be required to train to Level 1 except for those whose role is strictly administrative. The change will officially come into effect in the next three years.
But Licensing and Enforcement manager Neil Jones wants to bring the change in now, while the department is recruiting.
If council decides against the extra training, Jasper peace officers will become municipal compliance officers and lose some of their powers.
“It is not just the equipment but to make sure Jasper bylaws can get the level of service everybody knows and relies on,” said Jones.
“If we go down it will change our compliance ethos and we will just be giving out tickets.”
And if Japer municipal tickets are not written by official peace officers they “won’t be worth the paper they’re written on” as the officers will not be able to pursue them provincially.
Jones said the estimated loss of revenue with loss of provincial tickets would be about $60,000.
Peace officers also have access to vehicle registry information, while municipal compliance officers would not, meaning when vehicles have to be moved for snow clearing or when blocking driveways, peace officers can find contact information quickly and don’t have to go knocking on doors.
Protective services director chief Greg Van Tighem said: “The bottom line is to maintain the present level of service and the current level is tremendous for our community.
“It is just unfortunate a fatality review came up with these recommendations and because of that removed the CPO Level 2 that we are operating under.
“In my view it makes sense to go to Level 1 to maintain the level of safety to officers and that level of service.”
Councillors seemed divided on the topic.
Councillor Helen Kelleher-Empey said: “I think it’s a big decision to make. Batons, protective gear. I don’t know if Jasper is ready for that.”
But mayor Ireland disagreed, saying he was ready to make a decision that day. He said: “It seems a simple issue which is strictly officer safety.
“An officer in the field should have the best training.”
The topic will be discussed again at the council’s Sept. 17 meeting.
