Alberta Sheriffs will deploy more than a dozen officers to assist Calgary police in patrolling and monitoring festival tents during the 2026 Calgary Stampede, Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis announced Monday.
Memorandum of Understanding Establishes Joint Patrols
Ellis said the chiefs of the Alberta Sheriffs and the Calgary Police Service will sign a memorandum of understanding this week to formalize a joint team that will patrol Stampede tents, including Cowboys, to ensure patron safety and responsible behavior both inside and outside venues.
“Alberta’s government will do whatever it takes to support a safe and fun Stampede this year,” Ellis said. “This MOU will establish a joint team of Alberta Sheriffs and Calgary police officers to patrol and monitor Stampede tents, such as Cowboys, to ensure patrons are being safe, responsible and respectful both inside and outside the venues.”
Addressing Community Concerns
The additional officers are intended to address concerns about property damage, public disorder, and excessive intoxication spilling into communities near festival venues during Stampede week, according to Ellis.
“This kind of nonsense is unacceptable,” Ellis said. “That’s why we’re expanding our law enforcement presence to protect nearby residents and ensure all Calgarians and visitors have an enjoyable Stampede experience.”
Arthur Green, Ellis’s press secretary, confirmed that the province will initially deploy around a dozen officers, with the ability to increase that number if necessary. “Alberta Sheriffs will first deploy over a dozen officers, with the ability to deploy more if needed, to assist the Calgary Police Service over the course of the Calgary Stampede,” Green said in an email.
New Noise Regulations Spark Backlash
The announcement comes amid backlash to changes in the city’s noise regulations affecting festival tents during Stampede. A petition on Common Sense Calgary’s website titled “Save Music During Stampede” has garnered over 3,000 electronic signatures, claiming city hall “bureaucrats” are restricting music without adequate public consultation.
The issue gained traction over the weekend after several conservative politicians, including Pierre Poilievre, Danielle Smith, Calgary Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel Garner, and former Conservative leader Rona Ambrose Veitch, posted on X in support of claims by Penny Lane Entertainment CEO Paul Vickers that the city’s “last-minute” changes would force Cowboys Music Festival to cut seasonal jobs.
The Calgary Police Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
