Ms. Battiste’s extensive experience with agencies and boards, and her executive roles in many sectors including government, banking, oil and gas, manufacturing, and non-profit will guide the EPC in its governance and civilian oversight role.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Battiste has helped agencies, boards, and corporations achieve success while navigating challenging times. With over 20 years of legal practice in three provinces, she has excelled in executive business leadership by occupying senior and executive roles in many sectors. Prior to joining the Edmonton Police Commission team in December 2016, she held the position of Chief Risk Officer, Department of Environment and Parks, Division of Environmental Monitoring and Science, with the Government of Alberta.

Whether it’s leading organizations through upheaval and turmoil while maintaining employee morale, negotiating multi-governmental and international agreements, creating national compliance systems to combat money laundering, leading internal investigations or ensuring multinational corporations stay within the boundaries of international economic sanctions, Ms. Battiste has continued to lead the business while caring for her teams.

Passionate about diversity, inclusion and the prevention of bias in the workplace and society, Ms. Battiste has volunteered for numerous municipal and community boards and programs to ensure that those who can’t speak out have a voice and that those in need have access to justice.

Police commissions were first introduced in Alberta in 1951, and they became mandatory for the governance of all Alberta’s municipal police services in 1971. Today, most Canadian provinces – with the exception of Manitoba, Quebec and Newfoundland – have Police Commissions or Committees.

Police commissions exist for several reasons:

• To oversee municipal police services
• To establish policies for effective and efficient policing
• To allocate funds provided by City Council
• To direct the Chief of Police
• To promote ethical and professional policing
• To prevent political interference in policing
• To build public confidence and trust in the police

The roles of the Edmonton Police Commission and the Edmonton Police Service are different, however, they share a common vision of responsive community policing.

The Edmonton Police Commission has four main functions: overseeing the police service, responding to citizens’ concerns on policing matters, helping to develop the annual policing plan and budget, and building positive relationships with community partners.

The Edmonton Police Service is made up of the Chief of Police, police officers and civilian staff who deliver policing services in Edmonton. Their responsibilities include crime prevention, maintaining social order, law enforcement and public safety.

The Commission acts as a board of governors and is not allowed to become involved in day-to-day police operations or investigations.