Frequently Asked Questions

The Commission is a non-political, civilian governance board providing oversight of the Edmonton Police Service.

The Commission is responsible for:

• Allocating police service funds provided by City Council
• Establishing policies for efficient and effective policing
• Issuing instructions, as necessary, to the Chief of Police
• Ensuring effective service and that sufficient persons are employed for the functions of the police service
• Responding to public complaints about key policies and decisions made by the Chief of Police
• Engaging with Edmontonians

Commissioners are appointed by the City of Edmonton and the Government of Alberta for terms of two and three years, respectively.

Commissioners can be reappointed. by either the City of Edmonton or the Government of Alberta. Municipal appointees can serve on the Commission for a maximum of six years, and provincial appointees can serve up to 10 years.

Edmonton benefits from innovative leadership in this space through City Council’s approval of a funding formula policy. The police funding formula provides the Commission and police service with an ability to manage fiscal growth by ensuring adequate funding to manage organizational needs without unplanned or unexpected financial requests to City Council. The funding formula benefits the city by providing certainty to cost growth as the Commission does not come forward to Council with fiscal requests outside of the four-year operating budget cycle. The use of the funding formula ensures costs for the police service grow in predictable ways that are tied to economic conditions, changes in population and to address financial impacts arising from bargaining union settlements.

Under Alberta’s Police Act, the Edmonton Police Commission is responsible to the City of Edmonton for providing effective civilian oversight of policing. This includes community engagement, funding, establishing policies, directing the Chief of Police, ensuring effective services, and monitoring public complaints/serious incidents. The Commission takes its governance role very seriously and this includes prudent use of fiscal resources. EPC also has a statutory responsibility under the Alberta Police Act to provide ‘adequate and effective’ policing.

Whenever the police have overspent on budget must be paid back within three years which has shown to be a proven process for more than 20 years. There has never been a deficit incurred by the police service that needed to be covered by the City of Edmonton.

The City’s existing policy related to deficits ensures City Council and the citizens of Edmonton are protected from overages in the police budget.

We keep a very close eye on spending of the service to ensure funds are being spent appropriately and align with strategic goals. The Commission is engaged in fiscal planning as a prudent and responsible way of managing and understanding risk. Fiscal planning is critical when assessing how the future can impact an organization’s ability to deliver services.

The Commission reviews budget requests made by the EPS and decides what goes forward to Council and holds 12 finance meetings annually to review financial reports. Many of these reports are then moved to the Commission’s monthly public meetings.

The Edmonton Police Service budget is included in the City of Edmonton’s consolidated financial statements which are already subject to an independent, external audit coordinated by the City on an annual basis. Audit material and topics that are outside of fiscal matters, are solely a governance responsibility of the Commission.

Regular reporting of spending and the services provided to Edmontonians are published on this website.

The Commission requires the expenditure of funds by the EPS to align with the Strategic Plan and Business Plan, both of which must be approved by the Commission:

• The EPS Strategic Plan defines clear goals and targeted outcomes for the police service.
• The Business Plan establishes how EPS will achieve these goals and outcomes.

In addition, the Commission relies on the Chief of Police to provide advice on funding allocations to ensure adequate and effective policing is provided in Edmonton.

The term adequate and effective covers a range of operational issues such as: total amount of sworn officers; staffing levels for patrol deployment; resource levels of specialty units such as homicide, robbery etc.; capital requirements for buildings, cars, and other equipment; IT systems; and a range of other operational and administrative costs that make a police service function.

To further understand how Commission exercises fiscal oversight, each year regular reporting is required on the following topics: 

• Annual Reports:
  • EPS three-year Strategic Plan
  • EPS Annual Business Plan Year End Results
  • Legal Spending      
  • Review Table of Rewards (Unsolved Homicides/Table of Rewards)
• Twice each year:
  • Negotiated Resolutions – Civil and Grievance Settlements
  • Priority Unfunded Initiatives          
  • Contractual Reporting Semi-Annual Report                  
  • Supplementary Capital Budget Adjustment       
  • Supplementary Operating Budget Adjustment
  • Continuity of Operations Program            
  • External Funds        

Monthly:

• EPS Financial Report – Operating

Strategic goals are being successfully advanced year over year with crime reduction and outcome-based interventions also showing success. The Commission hired a police chief who has a focus on innovation and doing things differently. New programming, new ways of working with the community are having a positive impact. EPS is achieving these results while staying on budget, which we confirm through regularly reporting of spending and the services provided to Edmontonians, which are published on our website.

In recent years, the Commission and the service have invested in better recruitment systems, employee training, and human resource practices to identify indications of racist behaviours and attitudes. New recruitment strategies are designed to hire individuals who best represent the community, possess empathy, and can build relationships based on trust and respect. Now, more than ever, recruit classes represent a depth and breadth of those with diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and education. There is no place in the service for individuals who see the colour of a person’s skin before the nature of their actions.

Under Alberta’s Police Act, the Commission is responsible to the City of Edmonton for providing effective civilian oversight of policing. This includes community engagement, funding, establishing policies, directing the Chief of Police, ensuring effective services, and monitoring public complaints/serious incidents. The Commission takes its governance role very seriously and this includes prudent use of fiscal resources. EPC also has a statutory responsibility under the Alberta Police Act to provide ‘adequate and effective’ policing.

There is a significant public responsibility in providing governance and oversight of the Edmonton Police Service and we acknowledge that contributions by Commission members can be greatly enhanced by the delivery of an orientation and training program. The Commission’s policy 5.3.1 Commissioner Onboarding and Orientation sets out guidelines and procedures for new commissioners.

Commissioners are expected to perform duties conscientiously and in a manner that will not put their personal interests in conflict with the best interests of the Edmonton Police Commission and/or Edmonton Police Service. A conflict of interest arises when a Commissioner’s private interests supersede or compete with the Commissioner’s dedication to the interests of the organization. This could arise from real, potential, or perceived conflict of interest. The Commission’s policy 4.2.2 Conflicts of Interest sets out guidelines and procedures for conflicts of interest of commissioners.

Under the Police Act, the Commission is responsible for providing effective civilian oversight of policing. As part of this oversight role, the Commission monitors and reviews public complaints and serious incidents in a variety of ways.

The Commission’s role in the public complaints process is to monitor and ensure that investigations are thorough, fair and conducted in accordance with policy and the law. As the governing body for the police service and as a statutory decision maker, it is important for the Commission to ensure integrity of the process by reserving comment on any potential police misconduct matters before they have been adjudicated. It’s important we don’t prejudice any parts of the matter that may come before the Commission for decision. The process must be conducted fairly and transparently, and the Commission won’t be offering an opinion on the matter before it has been properly adjudicated.

There are legislated paths set out in the Police Act to submit complaints about police actions, and the Commission has no legal authority to act outside of these processes.

The Commission monitors the complaints process, and complaints about policy and officer misconduct can be made directly through our website. Complaints are investigated by the Professional Standards Branch of the police service.

As a statutory decision maker, a police commission cannot comment on allegations of police misconduct before a matter has been adjudicated.

An individual with standing can make a complaint in respect of a policy or service of the Edmonton Police Service or the conduct of a police officer. Reports of crime should be made directly to the police service through the non-emergency line at 780-423-4567 or in person at the nearest police station. In an emergency situation or to report a crime in progress, dial 911.

The Commission is responsible for overseeing the actions of the Edmonton Police Service and monitoring the conduct of police officers. The Commission also plays an important role in overseeing the public complaint process.

Complaints can be made in respect of a policy or service of the Edmonton Police Service or the conduct of a police officer, including the Chief of Police. Complaints about crime can be made directly to the police service through the non-emergency line at 780-423-4567 or in person at the nearest police station. In an emergency situation or to report a crime in progress, dial 911.

The Edmonton Police Commission is oversees the actions and monitors the conduct of the Edmonton Police Service, as well as handles public inquiries, including praises toward the EPS.

Any positive feedback about the Edmonton Police Service is always appreciated. If you’ve had a great experience with the EPS and are happy with the quality of service you’ve received, please let us know.

Police Commissions are civilian groups that provide governance and oversight of police service. This oversight is provided through:

• developing annual policing plans; observing and measuring outcomes
• allocating the budget and monitoring through review of financials
• appointing the Chief of Police
• establishing policies for efficient and effective policing, and issuing instructions to the chief of police in respect of those policies
• independent oversight of the public complaints process
• decision making tribunal in public complaints about the Chief of Police
• review tribunal in public complaints respecting the policies and services of the police service
• conducting inquiries into any matter respecting the police service or the actions of any police officer

Currently, the Professional Standards Branch of the EPS investigates complaints against police officers. The Commission’s Public Complaints Director monitors this process. Recent legislative changes made by the Government of Alberta will create a Police Review Commission as an independent body to investigate complaints against the EPS.

Under the Police Act, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team investigates Alberta police officers whose conduct:

• fraud
• may have caused serious injuries
• may have caused death
• has led to serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct, such as:
• breach of trust
• obstruction of justice
• sexual assault
• perjury
• theft

There are several levels of oversight into a police-involved death, including:

There may be a Fatality Inquiry conducted by a Judge in Alberta that would review the circumstances and issues recommendations designed to prevent future deaths.

• ASIRT investigates to determine if the officer(s) engaged in criminal misconduct.
  • ASIRT can lay criminal charges against a police officer if, as a result of an investigation, the executive director believes a criminal offence was committed.
• The police service will conduct an internal review to assess compliance with legislation, policy and training.
  • If there was a failure in this area, discipline may be imposed under the Police Act by the Chief or a Hearing Officer that may include a range of options, from reprimand to dismissal.
• There may be a Fatality Inquiry conducted by a Judge in Alberta that would review the circumstances and issues recommendations designed to prevent future deaths.

As the governing body for the police service and as a statutory decision maker, it is important for the Commission to ensure integrity of the process by reserving comment on any potential police misconduct matters before they have been adjudicated. It’s fundamental that commissioners don’t prejudice any parts of the matter that may come before the Commission for decision in the future.

The process must be conducted fairly and transparently, and the Commission doesn’t offer opinion on any matter under EPS or ASIRT investigation and until it has been properly adjudicated.

Members of the public may also make a presentation to the Commission during the Public Input Item on any public meeting agenda.