Fort Saskatchewan's RCMP detachment will soon get a new commander.

Inspector Barry LaRoche, in charge here since 2022, is moving on to command the Sherwood Park detachment.

LaRoche has championed community involvement in policing since his arrival, and continues to advocate for that. "Public safety involves us all," he says. Everyone has a responsibility to help keep our community safe.

He is pleased to see the growing strength of Fort Saskatchewan's public Policing Committee, which advises the local detachment.

Police must hear what the community needs, in order to better serve, LaRoche says. "Our mandate is very wide, and we can't do everything at 100 per cent all the time."

The public needs to tell police where service is most needed, he explains. A policing priorities survey now underway asks if efforts should be focused on traffic safety, police visibility, property crime reduction, police community relations or violent crime reduction.

LaRoch starts his new position in Sherwood Park on Monday, Feb. 24. But he will be back in Fort Saskatchewan for the policing town hall Wednesday evening Jan. 26.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time here," he says. "The support we get from the City of Fort Saskatchewan and the citizenship makes our job much easier."