Nine months from now, Grande Prairie will have its own police force running the show. The Grande Prairie Police Service confirmed this week it remains on track to fully assume jurisdiction from the RCMP in October 2026 two full years ahead of the original five-year timeline the city set when it made the call to ditch its RCMP contract back in 2023.
Where Things Stand
Police Commission chair Dan Wong says the current stage of the transition is going well notably, all Watches are fully staffed, which he pointed out is actually unusual even for established services.
"That doesn't usually happen, because the way the RCMP works is there is constant transfers coming in and out of Grande Prairie, so it always leaves some vacancies," Wong said.
The service has 54 sworn officers, with that number set to reach 70 in March following the graduation of Recruit Class #3 and Experienced Officer Program #6. Wong confirmed more hiring rounds are still planned before October. Of the current officers, 42 are working out of the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment, with assignments that include the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams and the Caribou Child and Youth Centre.
Built From Scratch
Standing up a police service with no template is not straightforward. The GPPS developed its own in-house training program in partnership with Lethbridge Polytechnic, with additional training and recruitment ties to the Eastlink Centre and Northwestern Polytechnic. The service has also worked with Indigenous partners to weave local Indigenous learning into the curriculum for all officers.
Beyond the basics, the GPPS recruited fully-trained tactical members, brought on one of only eight certified polygraphists in the province, and trained detectives specifically for major case investigations. A Community Standards Unit was also stood up and has already had measurable impact on community concerns.
Chief Dwayne Lakusta hasn't been shy about what he thinks the results show.
"Our progress speaks for itself," Lakusta said. "We are exceeding timelines, delivering strong operational results, and building a modern, community-focused police service grounded in fiscal responsibility."
The Money Side
The total transition cost sits at roughly $19 million. The province has committed nearly $17 million toward that, including a $7 million top-up in 2025. The city's own financial analysis projects the GPPS will end up costing less to run than the RCMP contract would have with savings estimated between $742,000 in 2026 and over $2.7 million in 2027. Total projected savings from 2024 to 2028 exceed $8 million, though that figure includes provincial grant money.
Mayor Jackie Clayton has been clear that cost wasn't the original driver. "Council made a decision to transition to a municipal police service for the fact of local oversight, local input and providing local solutions," she said. "It was never about providing a service that was inevitably going to be less expensive it was about providing a better service overall for public safety."
October and Beyond
When the GPPS takes over as police of jurisdiction this fall, Grande Prairie becomes the first Alberta municipality in years to pull off a transition of this kind. The RCMP remains in charge until that date. The full wind-down of RCMP involvement is expected to wrap by 2028, when the GPPS is projected to have 110 officers on the force.
Until then: emergencies still go to 911, and non-emergency calls go to the RCMP detachment at 780-830-5701.
Sources:
Grande Prairie Police Service news release, January 21, 2026 — gppolice.com
