With six months until the Grande Prairie Police Service becomes the police of jurisdiction, the City of Grande Prairie is entering the final phase of its policing transition, with growing operational capacity and 70 sworn members now in place.
The service remains on track to complete the transition two years ahead of schedule, with municipal officers set to fully assume policing responsibilities on October 21, 2026. GPPS members are working alongside the Grande Prairie RCMP during the transition period.
By the transition date, GPPS is expected to have up to 91 officers in place, growing toward a planned complement of 110 sworn members dedicated exclusively to policing within the city.
“Six months from now, policing in Grande Prairie will be delivered entirely by its own municipal service,” says Chief Dwayne Lakusta. “This marks the final phase of the transition, where our focus shifts from building the service to ensuring it is fully operational and ready to serve the community from day one. We’re two years ahead of schedule and focused on delivering policing that is responsive, locally driven, and dedicated to this community.”
As the transition progresses, GPPS continues to expand its recruitment and training efforts. Recruit Class #4 is set to begin May 4, 2026, following a competitive process that attracted nearly 250 applicants. Recruitment is now underway for Class #5, scheduled for early 2027. The service is also continuing to grow its experienced ranks, with Experienced Officer Program #7 beginning later this month and an additional intake planned for 2026.
New specialized roles are strengthening both community connection and frontline response. Constable Mir Lodhi has been appointed as GPPS’s first Community Engagement Constable, focused on building relationships and supporting diverse communities. The service has also introduced its first Police Addiction Support Officer, supporting a co-response model alongside paramedic services.
Operational capacity is continuing to expand, with the development of an in-house tactical team designed for immediate response within the city. This includes a dedicated Tactical Commander and a sniper-certified member. GPPS has also introduced its first Police Canine, Dante, currently training with the Calgary Police Service alongside an experienced handler.
Investigative capacity is also being enhanced. The forensic unit brings extensive expertise, with two specialists combining for 34 years of experience and nearly 5,000 forensic examinations. Detective Jason McCormick is now one of only eight police polygraph examiners in Alberta after completing training through the Canadian Police College and mentorship with the Edmonton Police Service.
The transition to a municipal police service will introduce expanded in-house capabilities, including dedicated officers assigned solely to Grande Prairie, a local tactical response capacity, major crime investigators, and the development of an integrated dispatch centre.
The Grande Prairie Police Service represents the first new municipal police service established in Alberta in more than 70 years.
