Alberta Moves Forward with Sheriffs Police Service Under New Bill 15

The Alberta government is taking a major step toward restructuring provincial law enforcement with proposed legislation designed to formally establish the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service (ASPS).

If passed, Bill 15 — the Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2026 — will guide the transition of the existing Alberta Sheriffs into a new, independent Crown corporation focused on policing. Officials say the goal is to ensure public safety operations continue without disruption while building a more modern, specialized service equipped to respond to increasingly complex crime.

Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis has framed the transition as a strategic response to evolving criminal threats. According to the government, the restructuring will expand frontline capacity, enhance officer training, and strengthen coordination across the province.

Under the proposed changes, sheriff peace officers who currently perform police-like duties will have a streamlined path to become sworn ASPS police officers, provided they meet training and qualification standards under Alberta’s Police Act. This approach is intended to accelerate recruitment while leveraging existing experience within the sheriff branch.

At the same time, sheriffs who do not transition into policing roles will remain peace officers, ensuring operational continuity across transportation enforcement, court security, and other critical duties.

The future ASPS will function independently as a Crown corporation, a structural shift from the current model where sheriffs are government employees. Bill 15 outlines provisions to transition both unionized and non-unionized staff into the new organization without interrupting employment stability. Employees will continue under their existing employment terms during and after the transition process.

Sat Parhar, chief of the ASPS, has emphasized that integrating experienced sheriffs will allow the new police service to scale up faster than relying solely on new recruits. The government argues that this hybrid approach will provide depth of expertise while reducing the time required to operationalize a provincewide police model.

The legislation also builds on earlier reforms that allow ASPS officers to form their own police association, laying the groundwork for future collective bargaining agreements separate from the existing sheriff framework.

Alongside structural changes, the bill proposes amendments to the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act (SCAN Act). This law is designed to target properties linked to criminal activity, including drug operations and organized crime hubs. If amended, ASPS officers would gain authority to enforce the act directly, expanding enforcement reach across Alberta communities.

Government officials argue that empowering ASPS officers under the SCAN Act will strengthen the province’s ability to shut down problem properties and restore neighbourhood safety more efficiently.

The broader objective of Bill 15 is to create what provincial leaders describe as a coordinated, high-capacity law enforcement service capable of adapting to modern crime trends. Supporters say the reform reflects a proactive investment in public safety, while critics are expected to scrutinize the costs, governance model, and long-term implications of establishing a provincial police alternative.

As the legislation moves through debate, the transition from the Alberta Sheriffs to the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service marks one of the most significant structural shifts in Alberta’s public safety framework in recent years. The coming months will determine how quickly and effectively the province can stand up its new policing model while maintaining uninterrupted protection for Albertans.