Mayor Bill Powalinsky, Prince Albert Carlton MLA Kevin Kasun and Chief Patrick Nogier at an announcement regarding policing funding. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Policing

Provincial funding helps PA Police as they look to change course and boost analyzing crime data

Nov 10, 2025 | 4:02 PM

Having provincial funding for front line officers in traffic enforcement, crime reduction and a position on the provincial Internet Children Exploitation Unit (ICE) is helping with more than front-line policing in Prince Albert; it is allowing the municipal service to make a crucial transition.

As part of its annual budget process, the province announced the PA Police will receive $3.7 million to fund 26 (soon to be 33) of the city’s soon to be 120 sworn officers.

“Without the enhanced policing initiatives that we receive from the province, we would have a hard time maintaining or keeping our heads above water,” Chief Patrick Nogier said.

The provincial funding, with some kicked in from SGI, pays for one position on the Crisis Team, seven members of the Crime Reduction Team, one officer in the Missing Persons task force, two people on the trafficking response team and an officer on the provincial ICE team.

The SGI portion pays for six Combined Traffic Enforcement positions.

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The other officers are paid for by the city through property taxes and will soon have a third crime data analyst aboard, one of the first changes Nogier pushed for after becoming chief in 2023.

“We have to be more evidence-based in our approach,” Nogier said. “Continually responding to 911 calls won’t allow us to get ahead of the game.”

The third analyst position was just filled. Nogier has said previously that he believes that analyzing crime trends is how the police can make long term impact on crime in the city, which has one of the highest rates in Canada.

“I’m very optimistic that moving into 2026, we’ll have a better indication of why crime happens, when it happens, a better prediction of where it might happen, and a better response,” he said.

When asked, Prince Albert Carlton MLA Kevin Kasun said that upcoming legislation that will allow addicts, who are a danger to themselves or others to be held and forced into treatment will also make a difference.

While addicts alone are not responsible for Prince Albert’s crime rates, they are often connected as organized crime sells narcotics to them.

“Hopefully it will help people possibly, or hopefully get people out of addictions,” he said.

Having more officers allows for more ability to spend time on deeper investigations, such as gang activity, homicides and gun crimes.

“It gives you more officers to get out there and get ahead of it rather than always be reactionary, be proactive,” Kasun said.

Details of the legislation have not been shared but similar measures have been taken in Manitoba and are in the process of happening in Alberta.

Last fall, the province promised to fund up to 17 more officers in Prince Albert. The seven new positions are part of that announcement however in order to accommodate 17 more people and any related support staff, the PA Police first need a new building as they are full in the locations they have.

At the same time, Nogier said the solution is not always to get more officers.

“We know we take up a large proportion of the municipal budget and in that, we do everything we can to make sure we’re a service that you can rely upon,” he said.

“We need to ensure that we’re having discussions, that we’re figuring out what’s the best model for policing knowing that we cannot continually coming to the well asking for more dollars.”

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com