Dwyane Lakusta, photo credit LinkedIn

By Curtis Galbraith

Municipal Police Force

Meet Grande Prairie’s new Chief of Police

Jul 12, 2023 | 6:16 AM

The new Chief of Police for the Grande Prairie Police Service describes his new role as a “fantastic opportunity.”

Dwayne Lakusta says he wants to work with people here to develop a police service that meet what he calls “the unique needs of Grande Prairie.”

“The more I became involved with the transition, saw the commitment of the city, the residents and the incoming commission, I was just more and more impressed with the opportunity. It was very appealing for me to be a part of that,” he says.

“I look back at my experience in policing, just about 30 years, and I know I have a lot to offer and I’m excited about the opportunity.”

Lakusta has experience working in areas like drug undercover and other things that are problems here in the city.

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He says he will be calling on that experience in the new job. He wants to see a collaborative approach to crime.

“My plan is to bring together a number of agencies outside of policing so we can leverage each other’s strengths so we can provide that comprehensive approach to address the criminal behaviour which might be influenced by addiction issues, mental health, social-type issues.”

Lakusta says he wants to look at root causes of crime.

“Resting assured that there are going to be the habitual offenders, those that are impacting the community the most, causing the greatest harm, or those who engage in violent-type offences. I mean, those people will need to go to jail.”

“But we need to make sure we are providing a more holistic approach to address some of the criminogenic needs of the offenders and how we can best address that without incarceration.”

Lakusta says some milestones have already been reached by the transition team. He says when he arrives, he wants to hire some officers to start building up the service. He says part of the transition will include working with the RCMP to address crime in the community.

He says what he calls natural attrition means some RCMP members will leave over the next couple years and the plan is to fill those openings with Grande Prairie Police Service hires.

Lakusta has nearly 30 years of policing experience; working with the Edmonton Police Service and was the Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team. He is currently the Executive Director of Law Enforcement with the Government of Alberta.