The Government of Alberta says around $286 million in provincial and federal is going towards combatting rural crime in the new year and beyond. The announcement was made Wednesday by Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer.
The plan will see a new funding model for police that will inject cash into hiring new RCMP officers and support staff. Small and rural communities will be expected to pay into the new plan to cover some costs.
The government says rural RCMP officers currently number under 1600. The new plan wants to see those numbers boosted to 1900 members with additional officers for specialized units that handle theft and drug trafficking.
A new Alberta Police Advisory Board is also being formulated, where municipal leaders will get their say on policing in their communities.