GPPS graduates 14th class, surpasses 80 officers before Oct. 21 switchover
The Grande Prairie Police Service held a graduation ceremony Friday for its fourth class of recruits, the final group before the force officially takes over policing duties in the city.
Why it matters
Grande Prairie residents will see this new municipal force take over all policing duties from the RCMP on Oct. 21.
The Grande Prairie Police Service (GPPS) celebrated the graduation of 10 new recruits and four experienced officers on Friday, bringing the force to more than 80 officers ahead of its Oct. 21 switchover as the city's police of jurisdiction.
Chief Dwayne Lakusta said the growing roster allows GPPS to fully staff frontline policing and criminal investigations, with plans to expand into specialized units such as a B-team, school resource officers and community engagement roles as hiring continues.
Among the graduates, Constables Triston Jacklin and Travis Reimer each received the Top Physical Training Award and ranked among the highest fitness scorers in Lethbridge Polytechnic's history of training police recruits. Lakusta noted that four of the 14 provincial fitness awards across all agencies trained at the polytechnic went to GPPS recruits.
Lakusta said recruitment for a fifth class is already underway, with a target of having new recruits trained by early next year, alongside continued hiring of experienced officers to round out the force's ranks.
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