Sask. inquiry outlines 'serious issues' with Prince Albert police

The province released the recommendations from an external review of the Prince Albert police on Tuesday, highlighting issues that have brought the struggling force under scrutiny in the last several years.

The province released the recommendations from an external review of the Prince Albert police on Tuesday, highlighting issues that have brought the struggling force under scrutiny in the last several years.

In November, the Ministry of Policing tapped former Edmonton police chief Rod Knecht to conduct an inquiry into the force, amidst a number of formal public complaints about police conduct and signs of internal conflict between the leadership and staff.

Knecht identified a lack of procedures, capacity for criminal analysis and strategic planning, and recommended changes that promote “shifting from reactive policing practices to intelligence-driven policing.”

The police force needs more detectives in its criminal investigation division to address serious crimes other than murder, according to the recommendations released by the province.

To minimize conflict between the executive and officers, Knecht recommended the police union hire a full time staff member with knowledge of the Police Act, collective bargaining and internal police policy, with a “willingness to build relationships.”

This move could address the “number of serious issues within the [force] regarding discipline, grievances, relationships within senior management … and overall organizational impairment,” the report says.

Tensions between the executive and rank-and-file were evident in May when former Chief Jonathan Bergen resigned following the release of a scathing report by the Public Complaints Commission.