Edmonton Police Service

Edmonton Police Service
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AbbreviationEPS
MottoIntegrity, courage, community
Agency overview
FormedJune 20, 1892
Annual budget~$438 million (2023)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Size685.25 km2 (264.58 sq mi)[2]
Population932,546 (2016)[2]
Legal jurisdictionMunicipal
Operational structure
Headquarters9620 103A Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Sworn members≈2,018 (April 2022)[3]
Unsworn members≈720
Elected officer responsible
Agency executive
Facilities
Stations15
Website
https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/
EPS Air 2 at community event

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The current chief of the EPS is Dale McFee. McFee is the second highest paid police chief in Canada with an annual salary of $357,000 (2023),[4] following Vancouver's police chief Adam Palmer, who in 2022 was paid $493,932.[5]

The service has three deputy chiefs – two sworn members and a civilian member. Chad Tawfik is responsible for the Corporate Services Bureau, Kevin Brezinski runs the Intelligence and Investigations Bureau, and Darren Derko heads the community policing bureau.[6]

Operational structure

A Ford Interceptor Utility at EPS HQ

The EPS is divided into six bureaus:

  • Community Policing Bureaus, led by Deputy Chief Darren Derko
  • North Bureau & South Bureau
  • Intelligence and Investigations Bureau, led by Deputy Chief Devin Laforce
  • Corporate Services Bureau
  • 2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility
    Community Safety and Well-Being Bureau, led by Deputy Chief/Chief Operations Officer Enyinnah Okere
  • Innovation and Technology Bureau, led by Chief Officer Ron Anderson

Patrol

The city is divided into divisions for general patrol purposes:

  • Northeast
  • Northwest
  • Downtown
  • West
  • Southwest
  • Southeast

Each division is separated into four smaller districts to allow for better deployment of resources. The majority of police officers of the Edmonton Police Service serve within the community policing bureau as patrol constables, sergeants, detectives, or staff sergeants.

Officers of the Edmonton Police Service have the highest first year constable salaries in Canada[7] at a minimum of $71,195 per annum (or $34.09 an hour), EPS officers who work a shift where half or more of that shift falls between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and midnight receive an extra $1.10 an hour. EPS officers who work a shift where half or more of that shift falls between the hours of midnight and 8:00 a.m. receive an extra $1.20 an hour, increasing the minimum hourly rate for first year constables to $30.47 or about $63,621.00 per annum. Special event policing pays $93.89 an hour. Sergeants and detectives are paid a minimum $120,742.00 per annum, or about $57.82 an hour, and staff sergeants are paid a minimum $132,816.00 per annum, or about $63.60 an hour.[8] Each uniformed officer receives an annual clothing allowance of $597, and each plain-clothed officer receives $1,285.

In July 2023, Edmonton Police Services secured a 7% retroactive pay increase for officers, at an estimated additional cost of $20m to the City of Edmonton for the 2024 budget. A 5th year constable will now make $54.53 an hour, the highest rate in Alberta behind Lethbridge Police Services, where the same position would make $54.60 as of 2023.[9]

Criminal investigations

Within the specialized community support bureau – criminal investigations division, the major crimes branch is divided into economic crimes, homicide and robbery. These areas are primarily made up of detectives and staff sergeants. The serious crimes area deals with sexual assault, child protection, and vice. These areas are also made up of detectives and staff sergeants. The Edmonton Police Service is also a member of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams.

History

Policing in Edmonton dates back to 1892, well before the founding of the province. In this year, a town police force took over duties formerly served by the North-West Mounted Police they were unwilling to take responsibility for enforcing law and order in the city following the 1892 Rat Creek Rebellion.[10]

On July 27, 1892, P.D. Campbell was the first police officer hired by the town of Edmonton. Aside from dealing with law enforcement issues, Campbell was also Edmonton's health and licence inspector.[11]

The Mounties resumed the maintenance of law and order in the City and the Edmonton Police Department was founded to stay in 1894.

In 1911, Alex Decoteau was hired by the Edmonton Police Department. He was the first Indigenous person to be hired by a police department in Canada.[12]

On October 1, 1912, Annie May Jackson was hired as a police officer. She was the first woman constable in Canada, serving from 1912 to 1918.[13]

Edmonton police officers used an airplane to pursue a criminal in 1919. This was the first time a Canadian police service used this technology in a pursuit. Former WWI ace Wop May flew an airplane to assist the successful pursuit and capture of John Larsen, murderer of Edmonton constable William Nixon.[14][15]

Policing changes

During the sixth decade of policing, from 1942 to 1952, the department continued to grow.

In 1943, the Neighbourhood Police Force was seen policing Edmonton's streets. An Edmonton police officer was paired up with an American military police officer to patrol because there were many U.S. servicemen in Edmonton at the time. After 18 months, it was discontinued when there was no longer a need for it. The end of the main work on the Alaska Highway, based in Edmonton, and the easing of the Japanese invasion threat meant fewer U.S. personnel in Edmonton by 1944.[12]

Recruit training

In 1947, formal recruit training was introduced. Prior to the formal training, officers were sent to the streets with minimal instruction. After six months of training in 1949, 15 officers graduated.[12]

In 1951, the department recruited in Scotland and Ireland after struggling to meet recruit demands.[11]

In 1955, basic training class number one graduated, with 28 members completing the course.[11]

Edmonton Police's pipe band, which had formed in 1914, halted because of the war. It re-emerged in 1959 and became a visible public relations tool still performing today.

Edmonton's growth and militarized policing practices

In the 1960s, the towns of Beverly and Edmonton joined and the Jasper Place Police Department joined forces with the Edmonton Police Department, adding the population of Jasper Place to Edmonton.[11]

Sarge, a dog, officially joined the department in 1963. The dog squad grew, and a kennel and training ground were opened by the municipal airport in 1974. The location is the same, and is named after Sarge's owner, Val Vallevand.[12]

In the 1980s, the Edmonton Police Service adopted new, American-style policing practices - most notably the use of a militarized riot squad to suppress the 1986 Gainers Meatpackers Strike. In 1986 after years of stagnant and declining wages and eroded provincial labour conditions and laws, local millionaire and owner of the Edmonton Oilers and the Gainers meatpacking plant Peter Pocklington provoked a massive strike after threatening to cut wages from $13.00 an hour to $7.00 an hour, among other attacks on benefits and conditions. 1080 meatpackers picketed the plant with widespread support from community members and other unions. On the second day of the strike, Gainers secured an injunction and Edmonton Police helped break the strike by allowing buses carrying scabs through and arresting workers at will - with over 300 arrested on June 3 alone. In the first month of the strike, Edmonton Police deployed 1/3 of their force to the Gainers picket line, including their riot squad for the first time. They also spent their entire annual overtime budget of $500,000 in these first few days alone. As described by Dave Werlin, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour at the time, "If the police had never shown their faces at the picket lines, no one would have tried to run buses through, there would have been no violence or arrest".[16]

In 2021 after a two-year delay related to roof collapse and other structural and mechanical failures, a new Northwest Edmonton Police Service Campus was opened at 18440-127 Street NW. The 183,000 compound operates as a training facility and divisional station, but also has 70 detainee cells. The city of Edmonton spent an estimated $119.7 million on the project, including the over budgeted $12 million cost of replacing the roof.[17]

2023–2024 encampment sweeps

On December 15, 2023, the EPS notified social service and homeless support organizations in the Edmonton downtown core of their plan to remove 134 tents and structures at what they deemed to be 'eight high-risk encampments' over 5 days, right before Christmas. The planned operation would be one of the largest and fastest encampment sweeps in Edmonton's history, and would be carried out by police in conjunction with city employees. An emergency court filing by lawyers working for the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights secured an interim injunction against the sweeps. The temporary injunction said that encampment sweeps could still occur but with certain conditions – most notably, that police and city workers had to first guarantee that enough shelter spaces are open before carrying out sweeps.[18][19][20]

Following a few days of delay, the encampment sweeps proceeded. As of January 12, all eight high-risk encampments had been evicted, removing roughly 120 tents and other living structures.[21] At the last sweep on January 10 at Rowland Road encampment, as temperatures outside dipped to −30 °C, three people were arrested, including journalist Brandi Morin, camp elder Roy Cardinal, and Dene and Blackfoot drummer, observer, and activist Teyen Bohnsack.[22] Bohnsack was charged with assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest, though video and eyewitness sources claimed that the officer instigated by pushing Bohnsack's wife Kiya Tailleur to the ground, unprovoked.[23]

One of the peace officers claiming obstruction of justice was Amber Maze, a former candidate for the Wildrose Party.[24][25] The officer who claimed to be assaulted by Bohnsack, Constable Michael Zacharuk, had a history of unlawful violence and was charged in 2022 after an ASIRT investigation with assault causing bodily harm for assaulting a man in his custody.[23][26]

The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights initiated a lawsuit against the City of Edmonton that sought to ban encampment sweeps and evictions while the city continued to offer no other housing alternatives.[21][27] On January 16, Judge Jonathan Martin quashed the Coalition's lawsuit, siding with the City's legal team, and ruled that "The Coalition does not in fact bear any of the hallmarks of a party with a real stake or genuine interest in the outcome."[28][29] The City also sought $25,000 in legal costs from the Coalition, claiming that "to evade costs would encourage parties that do not have a real stake or genuine issue in the outcome to bring litigation knowing that there is no risk of a cost award against them".[28][30]

Since the lawsuit was dismissed, over 49 homeless encampments were dismantled, displacing at least 211 structures and over 175 people.[31]

Misconduct

The Edmonton Police Service has been involved in numerous cases of misconduct, corruption, and police brutality in recent[when?] years. Almost none of the cases, whether investigated through internal disciplinary committees or through the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) led to convictions or firings of allegedly offending officers. ASIRT investigations are lengthy, sometimes taking between five and seven years to complete, and are often granted extensions for many years in a row.

Many of the cases between 1993 and 2022 are documented in the Alberta Police Misconduct Database.[32] Some notable examples of EPS police brutality allegations include:

  • Project Fisk: following a three-year investigation into Edmonton landlord Abdullah Shah (aka Carmen Pervez) which concluded with one charge being laid, Detective Dan Behiels provided 64 GB of internal documents to CBC reporter Janice Johnston after trying to raise concerns internally. Between 2016 and 2018, 10% of Edmonton's homicides occurred on properties owned by Shah. In a January 2021 letter to Chief Dale McFee, Behiels wrote that he believed "Shah had 'close-knit relationships with senior EPS executive officers'", and "that members of the Edmonton Police Service have engaged in corrupt acts that have effectively insulated this criminal organization from investigation and prosecution." Behiels was relieved of duty on February 4, 2021, has had his pay revoked, and was labelled a whistleblower by EPS leadership and representatives.[33][34]
  • The alleged assault of an unarmed Indigenous teenager, Pacey Dumas, by Constable Ben Todd, who was not charged.[35]
  • The 2017 beating of 21-year-old Ronnie Mickasko by at least 15 officers, while he was laying face-down on the ground and surrendering. Mickasko was left with a fractured right orbital bone, nerve damage, a scratched retina, facial trauma and multiple facial lacerations, and spent 9 weeks recovering in the Edmonton Remand Centre infirmary. After a nearly six-year investigation during which two of the offending officers (Detective William Thomas and Sergeant Vincent Boe) received promotions, a punishment of 35 hours of community service was mandated.[36]
  • On June 29, 2024, an EPS officer shot and killed 28-year old Mathios Arkangelo after he had been in a single vehicle rollover. Security footage shows his arms raised in the air while he was shot, with significant distance between him and the officer and no apparent danger.[37][38]

Between 2012 and 2023, at least 38 members of the Edmonton Police Service retired or left their positions during internal disciplinary hearings into allegations against them.[39]

Guard of Honour and Historical Unit

The EPS Guard of Honour and Historical Unit is a special unit of the EPS composed of dedicated policemen who serve as professional ambassadors of the City of Edmonton to the public. It was introduced to the EPS in 1998, and has provided consistent protocol demonstrations at events such as:

  • Remembrance Day parade
  • EPS Awards Day
  • EPS graduations
  • Dignitary escorts
  • Police officer funerals and memorials

The historical unit ceremonially represents the EPS at its various historical events. The uniform that is worn is a replica of the EPS uniform worn in the early 1900s.[40]

Pipe Band

PPCLI parading with the pipes and drums at its head, July 1917.
The band at the Alberta Legislature Building in May 2010.

The Edmonton Police Service Pipe Band was formed in 1914, although it was immediately dissolved at the start of the First World War, with its musicians being transferred to the Canadian Expeditionary Force to join Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) and lead the regiment into battle. Members of the pipe band also served as stretcher bearers for the regiment for the duration of the war. The Pipes and Drums of the EPS were re-founded in 1961. The band was first invited to play at the PPCLI beating retreat ceremony in 1964 and then at the regimental trooping of the colour in 1967.[41] Today, it is the only non-military civilian band within the Commonwealth to wear the badges of three Canadian regiments: the PPCLI, the Canadian Airborne Regiment and The Loyal Edmonton Regiment.[42] While serving as a public relations tool for the EPS, it still performs alongside the regiments today during public events in Edmonton.[43]

Equipment and vehicle fleet

Road vehicles


Armoured vehicles

  • Ballistic Armoured Tactical Transport (BATT)
  • Cambli Black Wolf, or Armoured Rescue Vehicle (ARV) 2[45]

The Edmonton Police Service is the only Canadian municipal force other than those of Toronto and Calgary that possesses more than one armoured police vehicle. The first armoured vehicle obtained by EPS was a used Grizzly, donated to them in 2007 by the Department of National Defence. The Cambli Black Wolf was purchased in 2017 for an estimated $500,000, without notice or approval by the City. EPS Chief Dale McFee claims it was purchased to replace the Grizzly, but this statement was criticized as 'tone deaf' by Edmonton mayor Don Iveson, among many others including Press Progress, the news organization that first published about the purchase. Criticisms largely focused on context of the Cambli Black Wolf's purchase, which was made public during the Black Lives Matter movement, which brought to light issues and criticisms of police brutality across North America and the world.[46]

Aircraft

Rank insignia

Ranks Chief of police Deputy chief Superintendent Inspector Corps sergeant major Staff sergeant Sergeant Senior constable Constable
Insignia
No insignia available
No insignia
Notes Indicates completion of the Temporary Acting Course for Constables[50]

Awards

Each year the Edmonton Police Service honours individuals for their service through a number of awards or medals including:

  • Award of Merit
  • Medal of Valour and Medal of Honour
  • Exemplary Tactics
  • Jim Dempsey Service Award
  • Commendations including: Bravery; Lifesaving; Exceptional Police Investigations; Exceptional Performance; Outstanding Work in the Community; Outstanding Contribution to Police Work; Innovation; and Problem Solving.
  • Long Service Medals (25 years)
  • Police Exemplary Service Medal (20 years)

See also

References

  1. ^ Kinney, Duncan (July 13, 2023). "Each Edmonton cop will receive an average of $10,000 from City of Edmonton thanks to $20 million arbitration decision". The Progress Report. The Progress Report. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Census Profile, 2016 Census - Edmonton, City [Census subdivision], Alberta and Division No. 11, Census division [Census division], Alberta". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  3. ^ Wakefield, Johnny (April 4, 2022). "Under half of Edmonton Police Service officers live in the city, FOIP data show". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Chief of Police Salary". Edmonton Police Commission. June 1, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  5. ^ Howell, Mike (March 29, 2023). "Vancouver police chief Adam Palmer earned $493,932 in 2022". VancouverIsAwesome. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "EPS Leadership". www.edmontonpolice.ca.
  7. ^ "City of Edmonton Police Services Collective Agreement" (PDF). Alberta Labour Mediation Services. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  8. ^ "EPS Salary". Edmonton Police Service. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  9. ^ "Edmonton police salaries increase in new collective deal, at $20M cost to the city". CBC News. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  10. ^ Edmonton Bulletin, June 20, 1892
  11. ^ a b c d Montgomery, Kenneth (1982). Pride in the past, 1894-1982. Edmonton, Alberta: Edmonton Police Service. ISBN 978-0-9691134-0-9.
  12. ^ a b c d Mair, Alex (1992). E.P.S. : the first 100 years: a history of the Edmonton Police Service. Edmonton, Alberta: Edmonton Police Service. ISBN 978-1-55056-204-0.
  13. ^ Donaghey, Sam (1972). A history of the City of Edmonton Police Department; blue, red and gold, 1892-1972. Edmonton, Alberta: Edmonton Police Service. OCLC 464867871.
  14. ^ "Edmonton police release comic book chronicling first aircraft used by Canadian cops in a criminal pursuit | Edmonton Sun". Edmontonsun.
  15. ^ "Sergeant William Leslie Nixon".
  16. ^ Alberta Labour History Institute. "The 1986 Gainers Strike: Alberta Workers Rise Up" (PDF). Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  17. ^ Cook, Dustin (January 6, 2021). "Long-delayed $119.7-million northwest police campus to open in March following replacement roof installation". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  18. ^ Thomson, Euan. "Chief McFee's unforgivable sin". www.drugdatadecoded.ca. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  19. ^ Parsons, Paige (December 15, 2023). "Judge delays police's plan for large-scale operation to close Edmonton homeless camps". CBC Edmonton. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  20. ^ "Multiple Edmonton councillors say encampment dismantling went against city policy - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  21. ^ a b Paradis, Danielle (12 January 2024). "Edmonton MLA decries 'futile' encampment closures in frigid conditions". APTN News.
  22. ^ "Ricochet journalist Brandi Morin arrested by Edmonton Police during encampment raid". Ricochet. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  23. ^ a b "Witnesses say Edmonton officer assaulted woman prior to arresting her husband near encampment". Edmonton. 2024-01-11. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  24. ^ Morin, Brandi (10 January 2024). "twitter.com/Songstress28/status/1745238401350283576". X (Twitter). Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  25. ^ Maze, Amber. "@voteambermaze". X (Twitter).
  26. ^ Issawi, Hamdi (17 February 2022). "Edmonton police officer and former 'top cop' charged with assault: ASIRT". The Edmonton Journal.
  27. ^ Johnson, Lisa (11 January 2024). "Edmonton mayor aims to declare a homelessness emergency, calling special council meeting". The Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  28. ^ a b Boothby, Lauren (8 February 2024). "City of Edmonton seeks $25K in legal costs from homeless advocates after encampment lawsuit fails". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  29. ^ Krause, Laura (2024-01-16). "Alberta judge strikes down Edmonton homeless encampment lawsuit". CityNews Edmonton. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  30. ^ Krause, Laura (16 January 2024). "Alberta judge strikes down Edmonton homeless encampment lawsuit". CityNews. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  31. ^ Snowdon, Wallis (1 February 2024). "49 homeless encampments dismantled in Edmonton since lawsuit scrapped". CBC News. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  32. ^ "Alberta Police Misconduct Database". Alberta Police Misconduct Database. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  33. ^ Wakefield, Jonny (January 31, 2022). "Police commission upholds unpaid suspension for Edmonton officer who levelled corruption allegations against superiors". Edmonton Journal.
  34. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/behind-the-blue-line-investigating-abdullah-shah-1.6193832 [bare URL]
  35. ^ "Pacey Dumas loses bid to prosecute police officer who kicked him in the head". Alberta Native News. 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  36. ^ Duncan Kinney (June 5, 2023). "Edmonton cops involved in infamous police brutality incident get 35 hours of community service after cutting deal with Chief McFee's office". The Progress Report. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  37. ^ Oriola, Temitope (July 17, 2024). "Temitope Oriola: Videos of Edmonton police shooting demand answers". The Edmonton Journal. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  38. ^ Patterson, Kelsey (2024-07-13). "Emergency town hall on police violence after shooting death of Mathios Arkangelo". CityNews Edmonton. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  39. ^ Lambert, Taylor (December 7, 2023). "88 cops in Edmonton and Calgary have left their jobs while under investigation since 2012". CBC Edmonton. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  40. ^ "Guard of Honour and Historical Unit". Edmonton Police Service. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  41. ^ ""Play the battalion into France and back."". cmhslivinghistory.org. Canadian Military Heritage Society. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  42. ^ "Military Connections". epspipeband.ca. Pipes & Drums of the Edmonton Police Service. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  43. ^ "100th Anniversary PPCLI". epspipeband.ca. Pipes & Drums of the Edmonton Police Service. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  44. ^ Wakefield, Jonny (2017-05-29). "Edmonton police fleet almost all SUVs as last Crown Victorias age out". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
  45. ^ Antoneshyn, Alex (September 16, 2020). "Meet the 'Black Wolf,' the newest $500K EPS armoured vehicle". CTV News. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  46. ^ Johnston, Janice (August 27, 2020). "Mayor blasts police purchase of new armoured vehicle as 'tone deaf'". CBC News. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  47. ^ "Flight Operations - The Helicopter". Edmonton Police Service. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  48. ^ Wakefield, Jonny (February 23, 2018). "New Edmonton police helicopter can fly faster, longer than its predecessor". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  49. ^ Kinney, Duncan (September 17, 2020). "Edmonton Police show off their new armoured vehicle, drone fleet, and other militarized hardware". Progress Report. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  50. ^ MAK, Terence. "Change of Senior Constable Rank Insignia" (PDF). Edmonton Police Commission. Retrieved 21 April 2023.