TAMRMS#: B06
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Policing Services Building
Notice given by: Councillor Biermanski
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BUDGET POSTPONED MOTION:
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That Poli-006 Policing Services Building Accommodations for 5,000,000 is postponed to 2023 for consideration in Capital Budget.
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Administration’s Understanding of the Intent of the Motion:
That Capital Project Poli-006 is placed in the unfunded category in 2023 and reconsidered for funding in 2023
Operational or Organizational Impacts if Motion is Approved:
If this motion is approved there could be RCMP Contract implications, related to the City not providing the necessary building accommodations. Contract implications could include the potential for the RCMP to lease space and bill back the expenses to the City of St. Albert at 100% of the costs.
This project is also intended to address a number of identified safety and security issues including the RCMP Front Counter security deficiencies that has been identified in the unfunded Capital Project POLI- 005 (Maloney Place Front Counter Security Renovations). This work is estimated to total $218,000. These security deficiencies were originally identified by the RCMP and communicated to the City in 2016 and the necessary work delayed until the outcome of the recently completed building accommodations study. If this motion passes, City Administration does recommend that POLI-005 be fully funded in 2022 , however City Administration would like to highlight that completing just the immediate front counter security upgrades in 2022 will likely result in some wasted spending as the larger necessary renovations take place in the future.
Financial Implications of Motions:
The delay of this project will not have an impact on taxes in 2022 as it is planned to be funded through a borrowing bylaw where interest costs will not likely be realized until 2024 at the earliest.
Stakeholder Consultations:
Should this motion pass, City Administration would communicate the decision to the RCMP and look to discuss the implications further with the RCMP.
Background:
The 2021 Stephens Kozak ACI RCMP Building Accommodations study identified a number of shortcomings related to the existing spaces that the Policing Services branch occupies at Maloney and Beaudry Place. There is an immediate need and shortfall of building space of 766 sq meters (approximately 30% over capacity). In addition to the space needs there are shortfalls and deficiencies that were identified related to parking, cell block security and front counter security. The main RCMP detachment (Maloney Place) was built in 2001 and had anticipated accommodating future growth for 10 years. Over the last 20 years, although there has been significant community and policing program growth, no expansion or significant renovations have taken place at Maloney Place.
In 2010, a study was completed that identified the Maloney Place was over capacity by approximately 50%. This prompted the purchase of Beaudry Place for future Policing needs in 2012. However the Police only required the 2nd floor of Beaudry place for their immediate needs. The first floor has been occupied by other City staff (namely Community Services/FCSS staff as well as Recreation and Parks staff) and the warehouse space has been occupied by the Community Village/Food Bank since the City’s purchase.
The need to identify and invest in building space and accommodations for Policing Services is urgent. The current space that has been allocated has a number of deficiencies and has no room to repurpose/reconfigure. The pandemic has amplified space constraints as increased personal space is desired and becoming an expectation of health and safety. These needs have recently been expressed to the City by the RCMP in their 2022-2027 Multi Year Financial Plan stating that “Failing to provide the RCMP with adequate accommodations will have a direct impact on the ability to add more resources and thus impacting service delivery to the community.”.
When recommending this project for funding in 2022, City Administration did take the discussions and announcements related to a new Provincial Police Service into consideration. When evaluating this potential against the current need as well as receiving feedback from the RCMP Officer in Charge, Administration acknowledges that regardless of what agency may or may not become the future Police agency of jurisdiction for St. Albert, the corporation will be required to provide appropriate and adequate local police facilities/space to house the police and peace officers as well as necessary civilian and support staff.
This project is anticipated to provide adequate accommodation for the policing program for the next 14 years (2034), which will also allow Administration to spend necessary and an appropriate amount of time reviewing and analyzing opportunities and potential gain in efficiencies for future policing and emergency service accommodations.
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Report Date: December 2, 2021
Author(s): Aaron Giesbrecht/Everett Cooke
Committee/Department: Emergency Services
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble