Better addressing changing rural policing needs priority for Alberta RCMP in 2026

In a year-end interview with CTV News Edmonton, Dept. Comm. Trevor Daroux, the commanding officer of the Alberta RCMP says more action is needed.

The Alberta RCMP’s commanding officer says, despite crime severity and reported crime being down in 2025, the changing face of rural policing will remain a concern in the new year.

Deputy Commissioner Trevor Daroux said Friday in a year-end interview with CTV News Edmonton that more needs to be done to address the specific needs of rural communities.

“Each community has its own needs,” said Daroux, who officially took over as the head of the Alberta RCMP in August. “Sometimes, it’s traffic. Sometimes, it may be drugs. Sometimes, it may be social disorder issues. We need to be agile enough and responsive to deal with those as they come about.”

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The Alberta government announced a new police funding model on Thursday, with municipalities covering more of the front-line costs of policing.

Daroux says getting more value for money spent is a priority for the Mounties, something that led to the creation of their real-time operations centre, which he calls the “nerve centre” for his department, where they coordinate and support front-line officers across the province.

“Real-time support with analytical support, supervisory support, as well as the ability to bring in other resources when they need that assistance as well,” Daroux said.

He says that despite a possible provincial police force spearheaded by the UCP government.

Daroux says it’s not his place to play politics.

“When it comes to times of strong political debate around this, that independence, that non-political positioning and the focus on public safety is critical,” he said. “And that’s what we’re going to do as we continue to move forward.”

Working with the province is crucial to the Alberta RCMP’s 2026 outlook.

Daroux expects the province will continue to feel the strain of a competitive hiring market, and that a full deployment of bodycams will increase accountability and have a calming effect.

“It’s that civilizing effect that having a camera does, and it can by itself de-escalate a situation,” he said.

Daroux’s priority in the new year is to support frontline staff as they respond to community needs.

“Policing has always been a difficult job,” he said. “It’s a challenging job, certainly rewarding, but it is one that needs this support.”