Calgary city council will debate a directive to explore potential locations for a future downtown police station later this month, after the executive committee voted Tuesday to advance the discussion. The motion, brought forward by Mayor Jeromy Farkas and co-sponsored by 10 council members, asks city staff to consult with the Calgary Police Service, the Calgary Police Commission, and the Alberta government to study the feasibility of bringing a police station back to the city's core.
Technical Review Approved Despite Opposition
While committee members voted 9-3 in support of a technical review of the motion, critics accused the movers of political interference in the governance of Calgary's police force. Technical reviews, which precede votes at council, are intended to determine a motion's legality rather than its merits. Opponents warned that the directive blurs the lines of political intervention in police governance.
Mayor's Rationale
In an interview last week, Farkas noted that Calgary is the only major Canadian city to not have a police station in its downtown. The former Victoria Park station was decommissioned in 2017, and the nearest CPS district office is located in Ramsay. The review would assess feasible locations in the centre city, including city-owned or leased properties suitable for adaptive reuse; new construction on city-owned land; or potential public-private partnership models. It also requests capital and operating cost estimates, including facility, security infrastructure, staffing, equipment, and vehicle storage needs, with funding options and a proposed implementation timeline.
Opposition to the Motion
Councillors Jennifer Wyness, Myke Atkinson, and Andre Chabot argued that the directive amounted to political interference. Wyness, one of council's two representatives on the city's police commission, argued that the commission is the appropriate oversight body for police, not council. She said it sets a dangerous precedent for council to start bringing forward motions that dictate police operations. Wyness also argued that Farkas's motion “presupposes an outcome” that a downtown police station is a necessity.
“The current wording is an assumption that commission gives permission to do this,” she said. “There’s a lack of directive in this notice of motion requesting commission to actually engage in this process. Therefore, we’re out of bounds.”
Mayor's Defense
In response, Farkas argued that the motion directs administration to consult with the police commission, but it doesn't direct the commission. “We heard it’s a responsibility of council to maintain an adequate and effective police service and we also have the responsibility to obtain information for the efficiency and financing of the service,” he said. The motion will now proceed to a full council meeting later this month for further debate.
