Vauxhall considering community policing options

Posted on October 15, 2026 by Vauxhall Advance

By Nikki Jamieson
Vauxhall Advance
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Concerns about community policing and future enforcement have prompted Vauxhall to look into options.

Speaking to Vauxhall town council during their regular Oct. 5 meeting on the police and health and safety issues in town, Coun. Paul Ballard said based on the Alberta Police Funding Model, the town would be responsible for paying more and more for policing, eventually contributing 30 per cent of policing costs in 2030-31. After that, he said the province will be charging extra based on the town’s crime rate.

“The province funding model is not to fund anything anymore, and I guess what we’re looking towards is an Alberta Police Service in the form of the sheriffs,” said Ballard. “I think the option to look at anything to do with the sheriffs’ model is in the distant future, I don’t think that’s coming into play anytime soon.”

While there was unlikely to be any changes in who is policing until the RCMP’s current contract is up in 2032, Ballard wanted the town to start looking into other options to look at in terms of policing, such as a peace officer to take care of traffic complaints, which Ballard thought should be considered.

He said there had been a partnership between the Town of Taber and the M.D. of Taber where they had a CPO program, and while that program fizzled, they now have a program where trainees with the Taber Police would act as community service officers until they were trained up.

“That is an option that we might look at, get a community services officer or a peace officer that’s going to regularly appear in Vauxhall,” said Ballard, adding they should talk to the department.

The Town could also look into hiring their own peace officer, although they would need to investigate the costs involved. But while they may not be able to pay for the peace officer by the number of tickets that were written, he said it may offset some of the costs.

“The truth of the matter is, we don’t have a crime problem here… we have a nuisance problem.”

Mayor Kim Cawley agreed that the town didn’t necessarily have a crime problem and it was more of a traffic problem.

“Just having the presence in town, I think, would help with most situations,” said Cawley.

Coun. Shelley Deleeuw expressed a want to work with the local RCMP and make them more accountable, including getting them into the town’s schools for education and staying on top of the town’s policing needs.

Council passed a motion to direct administration to investigate the cost of either getting a full-time peace officer or community officer.