At its most recent council meeting, Peace River town council received a presentation from BLU Alliance, a public safety consulting company, outlining the findings of its Municipal Policing Study.
The study was initiated in part following encouragement from the provincial government for municipalities to take advantage of available grant funding to review and strengthen local policing models. Its purpose is to provide evidence-based recommendations on the most effective policing approach, or combination of approaches, to meet Peace River’s current and future public safety needs.
BLU Alliance’s analysis included an assessment of the town’s existing policing and municipal enforcement services, a review of crime data and long-term trends, identification of high-risk areas and resource requirements, and engagement with key stakeholders to better understand community concerns.
Peace River is part of a regional RCMP jurisdiction that provides policing services to several surrounding municipalities and First Nations. The Peace Regional RCMP is currently allocated 40 full-time equivalent positions. The Town of Peace River’s projected contribution toward policing costs for the 2025–26 fiscal year is approximately $2.32 million.
The study examined 10-year crime trends and identified a significant increase in reported crime between 2021 and 2024. Contributing factors noted in the analysis include economic pressures, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increased presence of highly addictive designer drugs.
According to the study, the most common incidents in Peace River involve high-volume calls such as mischief and disturbance, property crime, and mental health-related occurrences. In 2024, the most frequent call types included mischief, suspicious persons and vehicles, non-moving traffic violations, wellbeing checks, Mental Health Act calls, assaults, disturbing the peace, and traffic-related offences.
The study was partially funded through a provincial grant, with the remaining costs covered by the Town of Peace River.
One recommended approach is for the town to strengthen its Community Peace Officer (CPO) program and actively petition the provincial government and the RCMP for enhanced CPO authorities. Expanding the role of CPOs could help reduce demand on RCMP resources by offloading non-urgent calls and addressing local priorities more efficiently.
Town council will continue reviewing the study’s findings and recommendations as part of its ongoing efforts to improve public safety and reduce crime in the community.
Trending 55 Newsroom
