Focus groups identify priorities for Taber police

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As part of its planning cycle, the Taber Police Service held focus groups in the final quarter of 2025. Across three sessions, about 35 individuals participated in discussions lasting roughly 90 minutes each.

A subsequent report showed that the focus groups identified the greatest threats to the community as mental-health challenges, addictions, homelessness, catch and release legislation and repeat offenders.

TPS planning is shaped by both the operational needs of the service and by the policing standards mandated by the Province. Chief Graham Abela and the police service used the focus groups to collect and analyze community input that would identify local needs, priorities, and expectations related to policing. Abela signed and released a detailed report in which he gave strategic recommendations based on its findings.

 Three separate focus groups convened in the fall of 2025. The first was with members of Town Council and the Taber Municipal Police Commission, held shortly after the municipal election to give newly elected councillors and appointed commissioners a chance to weigh in as their terms in office began.

 A second group included nine participants from professional, service, and partner organizations whose work intersects regularly with that of TPS.

 The third brought together members of the public, and invitations were sent to community associations and individuals representing diverse demographics, cultures, and stakeholder groups. These included the Filipino Society, the Low German–speaking Mennonite community, the food bank and others.

 The focus groups used a framework dubbed SWOT – for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats – to guide the discussions. The report said the focus groups “offer a unique advantage in that they create a more conversational, interactive environment through which participants can share experiences, clarify perspectives, and explore ideas collaboratively.”

 “This dynamic often produces deeper insight and richer data than can be captured through individual interviews or surveys alone, allowing for clearer patterns of consensus among stakeholders,” the report said.

 After compiling the results, TPS released the report to the Times in December, but asked that it be withheld until it could be shared with community leaders. The SWOT results and report are now public, and the results showed the following:

-Strengths: TPS was commended for its community-oriented approach to policing, its reputation for professionalism, and the dedication of its staff who remain committed despite workload pressures. Additionally, TPS invests in training and technology whenever possible.

-Weaknesses: Capacity gaps in outreach, particularly with vulnerable populations and newcomers. Public perception issues from youth aged 16–25 and certain cultural groups contribute to mistrust of police. Staffing shortages, burnout risks, increasing workload, and the need for translators strain internal capacity.

-Opportunities: An increasingly diverse population opens a door for TPS to strengthen community connections with newcomers, youth, and culturally diverse groups. Advanced technology and AI presents opportunities for improved efficiency, better communication, and enhanced investigative capacity. Collaboration with community agencies, mental-health providers, and social-service organizations offers pathways to better support individuals in crisis.

-Threats: As listed at the outset, mental-health, addictions, homelessness, and the lack of adequate support resources within the community are major concerns and “place continual strain on policing operations,” the report said.

 Further threats include, “Repeat offenders, catch-and-release legislation, and the impacts of the local drug culture contribute to rising social disorder and frustration among both the public and frontline officers. Rapid demographic changes, increasing cultural complexity, and shifting value systems generate tension and mistrust that the police must carefully navigate.”

 Funding instability, cybercrime and AI-driven threats, recruitment challenges, and community burnout further complicate things further.

The Times will do a follow-up story with Abela’s recommendations in the next edition.