Edmonton Police Service
Encyclopedia
Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
.
Three deputy chiefs - Darryl da Costa, David Korol & Neil Dubord heads up the Specialized Community Support Bureau, Corporate Services and Community Policing Bureau, respectively.
Each division is separated into four smaller districts to allow for better deployment of resources. The majority of police officers of the Edmonton Police Service serve within the Community Policing Bureau as patrol constables, sergeants, detectives, or staff sergeants.
On July 27, 1892, P.D. Campbell was the first police officer hired by the town of Edmonton. Aside from dealing with law enforcement issues, Campbell was also Edmonton's health and licence inspector.
In 1911, Alex Decoteau
was hired by the Edmonton Police Department, becoming the first full-blooded aboriginal to be a hired by a police department in Canada.
On October 1, 1912, Annie May Jackson
was hired on as Edmonton's first female police officer, winning out over a field of 47 applicants.
An airplane was used to pursue a criminal in 1919, which was the first time a Canadian police service used this tactic.
In 1943, the good Neighbourhood Police Force was seen policing Edmonton's streets. An Edmonton police officer was paired up with an American Military police officer to patrol because there were many Americans in Edmonton at the time. After 18 months, it was discontinued when there was no longer a need for it.
In 1951, the Department recruited in Scotland and Ireland after struggling to meet recruit demands.
In 1955, Basic Training Class number one graduated, with 28 members completing the course.
Edmonton Police's Pipe Band, which had formed in 1914, halted because of the war. It re-emerged in 1959 and became a visible public relations tool still performing today.
Sarge, a dog, officially joined the Department in 1963. The Dog Squad grew, and a kennel and training ground was opened by the municipal airport in 1974. The location is the same, and is named after Sarge's owner, Val Vallevand.
. Staff Sgt. Jamie Ewatski and Patrol Sgt. Giovanni Fiorilli were convicted of the assault, while a third officer was found not guilty. The judge deemed the officers had assaulted Mr. Dubois at least 3 different times during the ordeal. This conviction, however, was overturned by a higher court on appeal. The higher level appeal court judge found that the lower level judge had made a "palpable and overriding error".
On June 18, 2006, an Edmonton police officer was alleged to have struck an unarmed and handcuffed woman in the head, resulting in her falling to the ground, leaving her bloodied and injured. During the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs
, many Edmontonians watched the games in Old Strathcona
bars, becoming drunk and belligerent. A journalist witnessed the incident and said the woman was being taken to a bus with other people under arrest when she uttered something to the officer who then approached her, handcuffed her and struck the woman on the side of the head. An internal police investigation was ordered but no charges were laid.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Organization
The current head of the EPS is Roderick Knecht.Three deputy chiefs - Darryl da Costa, David Korol & Neil Dubord heads up the Specialized Community Support Bureau, Corporate Services and Community Policing Bureau, respectively.
Operations
EPS is divided into three bureaus:- Community Policing Bureau
- Specialized Community Support Bureau
- Corporate Services Bureau
Patrol
The city is divided into divisions for general patrol purposes:- North
- Downtown
- West
- Southwest
- Southeast
Each division is separated into four smaller districts to allow for better deployment of resources. The majority of police officers of the Edmonton Police Service serve within the Community Policing Bureau as patrol constables, sergeants, detectives, or staff sergeants.
Criminal Investigations
Within the Specialized Community Support Bureau - Criminal Investigations Division, the Major Crimes Branch is divided into Economic Crimes, Homicide and Robbery. These areas are primarily made up of detectives and staff sergeants. The Serious Crimes area deals with Sexual Assault, Child Protection, and Vice. These areas are also made up of detectives and staff sergeants.History
Edmonton's police dates back to 1892, well before the founding of the province.On July 27, 1892, P.D. Campbell was the first police officer hired by the town of Edmonton. Aside from dealing with law enforcement issues, Campbell was also Edmonton's health and licence inspector.
In 1911, Alex Decoteau
Alexander Decoteau
Alexander Wuttunee Decoteau, , was a Cree Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was also the first aboriginal police officer in Canada....
was hired by the Edmonton Police Department, becoming the first full-blooded aboriginal to be a hired by a police department in Canada.
On October 1, 1912, Annie May Jackson
Annie May Jackson
Annie May Jackson became the first female police officer in Canada, when she was appointed as a Constable to the Edmonton Police Department in 1912. A neighbourhood of Jackson Heights, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is named in her honour....
was hired on as Edmonton's first female police officer, winning out over a field of 47 applicants.
An airplane was used to pursue a criminal in 1919, which was the first time a Canadian police service used this tactic.
Policing Changes
During the sixth decade of policing,from 1942-1952, the department continued to grow.In 1943, the good Neighbourhood Police Force was seen policing Edmonton's streets. An Edmonton police officer was paired up with an American Military police officer to patrol because there were many Americans in Edmonton at the time. After 18 months, it was discontinued when there was no longer a need for it.
Recruit Training
In 1947, formal recruit training was introduced. Prior to the formal training, officers were sent to the streets with minimal instruction. After six months of training in 1949, 15 officers graduated.In 1951, the Department recruited in Scotland and Ireland after struggling to meet recruit demands.
In 1955, Basic Training Class number one graduated, with 28 members completing the course.
Edmonton Police's Pipe Band, which had formed in 1914, halted because of the war. It re-emerged in 1959 and became a visible public relations tool still performing today.
Edmonton's Growth
In the 1960s, the town of Beverly and Edmonton joined and the Jasper Place Police Department joined forces with the Edmonton Police Department, adding the population of Jasper Place to Edmonton.Sarge, a dog, officially joined the Department in 1963. The Dog Squad grew, and a kennel and training ground was opened by the municipal airport in 1974. The location is the same, and is named after Sarge's owner, Val Vallevand.
Awards
Each year the Edmonton Police Service honours individuals for their service through a number of awards or medals including:- Jim Dempsey Customer Service Award
- Essay for Excellence
- Beverly MacLean Legacy Bursary
- Performance, Bravery and Life Saving Awards
- Long Service Medals (25 years)
- Police Exemplary Service Medal (20 years)
Fleet and Equipment
- Ford Crown VictoriaFord Crown Victoria-1992–1994:Released in March 1991 as an early 1992 model, the Crown Victoria sedan was completely redesigned with a rounder, eight-window roofline . The redesign reduced the coefficient of drag from 0.42 to 0.34; the suspension setup was also heavily revised...
Interceptor cruiser - Eurocopter EC120B - 2
- GlockGlockGlock Ges.m.b.H. is a weapons manufacturer headquartered in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria, named after its founder, Gaston Glock...
22 Issue weapon
Police misconduct
On July 8, 2008, two high ranking members of the Edmonton Police were found guilty of assaulting a homeowner and entering his home without a search warrantSearch warrant
A search warrant is a court order issued by a Magistrate, judge or Supreme Court Official that authorizes law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a crime and to confiscate evidence if it is found....
. Staff Sgt. Jamie Ewatski and Patrol Sgt. Giovanni Fiorilli were convicted of the assault, while a third officer was found not guilty. The judge deemed the officers had assaulted Mr. Dubois at least 3 different times during the ordeal. This conviction, however, was overturned by a higher court on appeal. The higher level appeal court judge found that the lower level judge had made a "palpable and overriding error".
On June 18, 2006, an Edmonton police officer was alleged to have struck an unarmed and handcuffed woman in the head, resulting in her falling to the ground, leaving her bloodied and injured. During the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs
2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League championship began on April 21, 2006, following the 2005–06 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, seeded one through eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the conference quarterfinals...
, many Edmontonians watched the games in Old Strathcona
Old Strathcona
Old Strathcona is an historic district located in south-central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Once the commercial core of the separate city of Strathcona, the area is now Edmonton's main arts and entertainment district, and in 2007 was named Alberta's second "Provincial Historic Area"...
bars, becoming drunk and belligerent. A journalist witnessed the incident and said the woman was being taken to a bus with other people under arrest when she uttered something to the officer who then approached her, handcuffed her and struck the woman on the side of the head. An internal police investigation was ordered but no charges were laid.