EDMONTON — Alberta’s new Police Review Commission is now fully operational, creating a single independent body to handle policing complaints and oversee disciplinary processes across the province.
The commission replaces the previous mix of agencies that often saw police investigating police. It will receive and assess complaints, conduct investigations, oversee hearings and manage cases involving serious incidents, statutory offences and non-criminal misconduct.
Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis says the agency marks a shift in how Alberta approaches oversight. He says the PRC reflects the communities police serve and is designed to ensure impartial, transparent investigations that build public trust.
The commission was created under the Police Amendment Act, 2022, which aimed to modernize oversight and strengthen consistency and accountability. The PRC must complete investigations within 180 days, and if more time is required, its chief executive officer must publicly explain delays.
Interim CEO Michael Ewenson says the goal is timely resolutions and fair outcomes. The Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police says the PRC will boost transparency and accountability, while police leaders are committed to working with the new agency.
The commission can also launch systemic reviews of police conduct or emerging trends without a public complaint, and those findings must be released publicly. The structure of the PRC was shaped through consultation with Indigenous communities, police services, municipalities and community groups.
The commission will oversee three levels of complaints ranging from serious injury or death to non-criminal misconduct. Complaints outside its scope will be referred to the proper body. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, which handles serious police-involved cases, will now operate under the PRC
Comments