Eighteen new peace officers officially joined Edmonton’s ranks Tuesday, marking the completion of their training with a graduation ceremony at city hall. The cadets, part of Community Peace Officer Class 26-01, completed Alberta’s Community Peace Officer Induction Program and will serve in various roles across the city and region.
Ceremony and Key Speakers
The ceremony began with cadets marching into city hall in uniform to the sound of the Edmonton Police Service Pipes and Drums. Following a land acknowledgement, city manager Eddie Robar welcomed the graduates and recognized the role they will play in supporting safety across the city. “Today is a celebration of your hard work, discipline, and dedication,” Robar said. He then presented officers with their graduate certificates, followed by a speech from valedictorian Jordan Brooks who reflected on the group’s time together.
Focus on Transit Safety
Unlike traditional police officers, peace officers are tasked with enforcing specific laws and regulations aimed at improving public safety. In Edmonton, much of the work centres on keeping the city’s transit system safe — particularly, the LRT network. These new officers will be stationed across the greater Edmonton area, including continuing the city’s focus on transit safety.
Transit officer graduate Mariah Eshkakogan spoke about why she joined the peace officer program. “I was working as team lead on the community outreach transit team, and I worked alongside transit officers for 5 years,” said Eshkakogan. “That’s when I noticed that I wanted to be a part of that team and continue to not only serve my community but protect it as well.”
Indigenous Representation and Community Impact
Eshkakogan also said she wants to pave the way for more Indigenous representation in uniform. “I would like to start paving that pathway for Indigenous youth, or any youth that would like to pick up a uniform one day and make that their career.” She added, “It feels surreal. I feel very proud of myself.”
Several graduates will join the City of Edmonton's Community Peace Officer team, supporting Transit and Animal Care and Control. Others will serve with organizations and municipalities across Alberta, including the University of Alberta, Covenant Health, NAIT, the City of Leduc, the City of Spruce Grove and Lac Ste. Anne County.
Tiered Policing Approach
The chief bylaw officer for the city of Edmonton’s community standards branch, David Jones, also gave a few words on why the day is so important. “These folks have worked really hard for the last few months,” said Jones. “They’ve dug in, they’ve done a whole lot of training, and I think taking this moment just to pause and celebrate those accomplishments is really important in the trajectory of their career.”
Jones said that the peace officer program is especially important in order to take the pressure off of Edmonton Police Services. “We address bylaw calls, we help with public safety issues, especially in public spaces, and you know it’s a community-focused, forward-facing enforcement program, and I think the province helped establish peace officers in order to create a kind of tiered policing approach to the world of law enforcement in the province.”
