The Grande Prairie Police Service (GPPS) has marked another milestone in its growth with the graduation of its fourth Experienced Officer Program. A ceremony was held the morning of June 27, 2025, in the Rotary Community Room of the Grande Prairie Public Library, attended by dignitaries, colleagues, and family members.
The graduation class includes four experienced officers who bring valuable service backgrounds from the Calgary Police Service, Lacombe Police Service, Lakeshore Regional Police Service, and Sainte-Anne Police Service in Manitoba. Together, they bring a wealth of expertise in areas such as training, tactical operations, and community policing.
“Each graduation ceremony marks more than just the end of a training program; they are milestones in our journey to build a police service that is uniquely tailored to Grande Prairie,” says Chief Dwayne Lakusta. “With every experienced officer and recruit that joins our ranks, we grow stronger, more connected, and better prepared to serve our city.”
“We’re extremely proud to have this high calibre of Experienced Officers join the team at GPPS and become mentors to our officers and all future recruits,” says Grande Prairie Police Commission Chair Dan Wong.
“The Grande Prairie Police Service is blazing a new trail for modern policing and is already having a strong impact in the community,” says City of Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton. “We’re thankful for this latest round of graduates, who are going to continue to build the GPPS visibility, strengthen our community safety, and support the successful transition to a municipal police model.”
GPPS’ Experienced Officer Program spans approximately five weeks and equips officers with essential knowledge and local context. Training components include the Police Act, trauma-informed practices, Indigenous teachings, use-of-force protocols, mental health first aid, unconscious bias, and immediate action rapid deployment, among others. Instruction is provided in partnership with local agencies and organizations to ensure training is relevant and community-focused.
Three of the experienced officers will move to work out of the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment, with two on patrol and one in a special investigations unit. Their additions bring the number of GPPS members assigned at the detachment to 17, including and inspector overseeing the Patrol and Investigations Branch. The fourth officer will join the GPPS training team.
GPPS is also pleased to report strong progress from its second recruit class, comprised of 14 new recruits who are on track to graduate on September 12, 2025. They will bring the total number of sworn GPPS members to 50. Selection is currently underway for a third recruit class scheduled to begin later this year, as well as recruitment for the fifth intake of the Experience Officer Program.
As GPPS continues to expand, the organization remains committed to building a modern, community-driven police service that reflects the needs and values of Grande Prairie.
