'Policing is becoming more complex': Calgary police seek more funding to fill positions as demand grows across city

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal News 'Policing is becoming more complex': Calgary police seek more funding to fill positions as demand grows across city Calgary police Chief Katie McLellan said the summer has been particularly demanding for officers, with numerous calls requiring significant resources. Author of the article: By Payton Delisle-Miller Published Sep 24, 2026 4 minute read Join the conversation Calgary police Chief Katie McLellan speaks to media on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia Article content The Calgary police commission is seeking increased funding from city council to help fill 523 Calgary Police Service positions as the force faces increasingly complex cases that are stretching resources and officers across the city. Article content Of those positions, 309 would be for police officers and 214 would be for technical experts and support staff as part of the proposed 2027-2030 police budget. Article content Article content Article content “The new officers will create more capacity for proactive policing such as traffic enforcement, proactive patrols and crime prevention,” said commission chair Amtul Siddiqui during Wednesday’s September regular police commission meeting. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content The request came as CPS Chief Katie McLellan presented the organization’s mid-year report to the commission, outlining key areas where demand on the service continues to grow and affect officers. Article content A busy summer for officers Article content McLellan said the summer has been particularly demanding for officers, with numerous calls requiring significant resources. Article content “Policing is becoming more complex,” she said. “We are seeing increase in demand, more serious violence, growing firearm involvement and continue pressures on frontline resources as our city continues to grow.” Article content Deputy Chief Cliff O’Brien pointed to a single 12-hour period on Sept. 15 as an example of the demands facing officers. Between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., CPS responded to 915 calls for service, or roughly 76 calls an hour. Article content “Although the…