Re: Letter: Forming Alberta police force will be a mistake
The formation of a new and vibrant Alberta provincial police service versus an old, tired federal force (RCMP) is a very complex issue.
It cannot, and should not, be decided by a plebiscite or congenial town hall meetings.
For example, statistics relating to solved crimes on a per capita basis, comparing federal to provincial policing agencies such as the Calgary Police Service, have to be meticulously calculated before a decision is made.
Subsequent to nearly 40 years of active municipal, provincial and federal law enforcement duty in six regions of Alberta, I have been exposed to a great deal of the pros and cons of this dilemma.
One thing I am cognizant of, however, is that a fully efficient policing service cannot function properly with a headquarters some 4,000 kilometres away.
Murray Bates,
Mountain View County
