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Photo Courtesy EGP Staff (Image Credit: Photo Courtesy EGP Staff)

By Tanner Smith

"two years ahead of schedule"

Three months out from RCMP-Police Services transition

Jul 22, 2026 | 9:35 AM

“In just three months, the Grande Prairie Police Service will become the police of jurisdiction for our city,” according to GPPS Chief of Police Dwayne Lakusta.

Oct. 21 has been set as the official transition date, a full two years ahead of schedule.

At this time, GPPS is continuing to “expand operational capacity, strengthen specialized policing capabilities,” and work with local RCMP until the official transition date.

Chief Dwayne Lakusta credits his “strong team of trained, experienced, and locally focused officers” for work done so far, but says they will need to “focus on ensuring every system and service unit is fully operational so we can deliver responsive, community-driven policing that reflects the needs and priorities of our residents.”

GPPS did want the public to know that policing will continue uninterrupted as they take over responsibility for the City, and the same phone lines will continue to be used; 911 and 780-830-5700 for non-emergencies.

When fully operational, GPPS will have a wide range of specialized policing services:

Tactical team
Criminal Investigative Section
Specialized Investigations Section
Forensic services
Polygraph examiner
Canine teams
Drone operations

GPPS also wants to continue developing “community-focused policing initiatives” as they assume takeover policing operations, such as “community engagement, youth engagement, and foot patrol teams, while supporting community safety efforts through partnerships such as #NotInMyCity.“

Looking ahead, GPPS will welcome another class of recruits to their ranks in October, just in time for the transition, with another scheduled to begin their training in early 2027.

by Tanner Smith