Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee hired as Alberta premier's top bureaucrat

Edmonton's outgoing police chief, Dale McFee, will become the Alberta government's top civil servant next year, Premier Danielle Smith said Wednesday.

Dale McFee has become a friend, Smith said in an interview with CBC Calgary, and has helped the United Conservative Party government implement its "recovery-oriented" approach to treat people with addictions.

"That allows me to have the continuity on both the recovery and both the law enforcement side of what we need to do to address the fentanyl and opioid crisis," Smith said.

McFee, who is retiring on Feb. 21 after serving six years as Edmonton police chief, was previously Saskatchewan's deputy minister of corrections and policing. Smith said McFee's history of digital transformation with the Saskatchewan government is what piqued her interest.

"I think he's the perfect person to lead that effort," she said.

On Feb. 24, McFee will become deputy minister of executive council and head of the Alberta Public Service.

MacEwan University associate professor of political science Brendan Boyd says the role is a key link between political leaders who represent the will of the public and the civil service tasked with bringing their plans to life.

There are nearly 29,000 full-time equivalent jobs with the Alberta public service, according to this year's budget documents.

Boyd said the government's appointment of McFee is no surprise, given the police chief's frequent appearances at government announcements concerning policing and public safety.

"For a lot of people, this will be confirming something that they've suspected for a long period of time, that he had some kind of relationship with the UCP," Boyd said.

Governments at the federal and provincial level have increasingly chosen civil service leaders who are technically non-partisan, but whose ideology aligns with the ruling party, Boyd said.

Chief said immigration increasing unrest at protests

McFee has been aligned with the UCP government's distaste for "social disorder" — a phrase they use to describe unhoused people living in encampments, urban crime, and public drug consumption, among other social challenges.

The government supported McFee's efforts to disassemble Edmonton encampments last fall and winter, and the province began funding a navigation centre in the capital city to help connect thousands of displaced people with social, health and housing supports.

McFee has often been at odds with progressive Edmonton city councillors over police decisions and funding.

McFee and UCP cabinet ministers are in lockstep in pointing to weapons illegally entering the country contributing to gun crimes in Alberta. Both oppose the expansion of supervised consumption services for drug users.

The deputy minister job opened up last month when Finance Minister Nate Horner fired the board and CEO of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) and installed senior public servant Ray Gilmour as AIMCo's interim CEO.

Tom Vernon, a senior consultant with Crestview Strategy, said in a Wednesday interview that McFee is a logical choice given his political stance and leadership experience.

In response to questions to the premier's office about how McFee's influence might shape government policy, such as work to expand the role of sheriffs and a proposed provincial police service, a spokesperson reiterated McFee's leadership and change management experience. They did not answer a question about McFee's future compensation.

Vernon said McFee's knowledge would be an asset if government does decide to create a provincial police force.

McFee inadvertently landed in the spotlight earlier this month when he made comments on a policing podcast, saying the federal government letting in "a whole raft of immigrants" was creating more challenges for the police to manage political protests. "When more is added, there's more risk," he said.

Members of the public are rightfully concerned about those comments, Vernon said.

"One would hope that when you come into a position in the civil service, you're coming into it in a way that you are going to help build policies that benefit everybody," Vernon said. "And that you're going to take a broad view, and listen to a broad range of views."

Edmonton police said Wednesday that McFee was unavailable for an interview, and referred questions to the provincial government.

In a government press release, McFee said he is honoured by the appointment.

"I am deeply committed to our province and to driving positive change within our public service and for all Albertans," his statement said.