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Calgary Herald

Calgary will be the headquarters for Independent Agency Police Service in Alberta

Alberta announced the creation of a new provincial police task force on Wednesday, with Calgary as its headquarters. Article content The police service follows legislation passed in the spring that allowed for the birth of a new agency, called the Independent Agency Police Service, overseen by a board of civilians, and a Crown corporation, both of which would operate at 'arm's length' of the government. Article content Article content Article content 'The IAPS will be able to provide targeted support, working closely with police services and municipal and First Nations leaders to identify where additional resources are needed,' Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said at a news conference on Wednesday. Article content The province also named former deputy Calgary police chief Sat Parhar, who has spent more than 25 years as a police officer, as the head of the agency. Article content Article content 'It's an honour to take on this role and help shape a modern police service built for Alberta,' Parhar said. Article content 'My focus from Day 1 will be on setting high standards for professionalism, building strong relationships with our partners and ensuring this service reflects the needs and priorities of the communities we serve.' Article content Article content The province hasn't provided an exact timeline or cost of starting and operating the new service. 'There is a labour component of this that we're going to be working out,' Ellis said. Article content The province will draw police officers from Alberta Sheriffs, which currently performs a few policing responsibilities but doesn't have a civilian oversight board. Article content The fate of the approximately 1,200 sheriffs hired by Alberta hangs in the balance, as the province has previously indicated that it plans to hire 600 sheriffs for the new police force, and dedicate the money that is set for the agency to operating the latest service. Article content The new force will not replace the RCMP, Ellis said, but will work alongside the federal agency to provide more options to municipalities, some of which have complained about longer wait times and rising costs of contracting with the federal police service.