The City of Grande Prairie will have its own police service on October 21, 2026, marking a shift from the RCMP two years ahead of the original plan. When the Grande Prairie Police Service takes over, residents will still call 911 for emergencies and 780-830-5700 for non-emergencies, with no disruption expected.
Council approved the move in March 2023 with an 8-1 vote, ending an 86-year relationship with the RCMP. Supporters pointed to local control and ongoing staffing challenges as key reasons. Although the RCMP had funding for 110 members, the detachment had not been fully staffed for five years, and keeping senior officers was difficult.
As of July 2026, the city police service has 70 officers and aims to reach 110. A new recruit class graduates in October 2026, with another starting in early 2027. Behind the scenes, the service is building specialized teams including its own tactical unit, criminal investigators, forensic services, a polygraph examiner, canine units, and drone operations. The drone program will help with missing person searches, crime scene work, collision mapping, and responding to crimes as they happen. The force has also added its first police motorcycle for traffic enforcement and community events.
The province has put nearly $17 million toward the transition, which is expected to cost about $19 million in total. City reports project that once the new service is running, it will cost less than the previous RCMP contract, with savings reaching over $2.7 million in 2027 alone.
