Oilers Group hires former EPS officers to run Ice District security

Two of the city's top cops are leaving the Edmonton Police Service to head up the security team for the downtown Ice District.

Darcy Strang and Kevin Galvin started their policing careers as recruits together 28 years ago. Now they are responsible for deciding how security will function in the 22.5 acres in the Oilers Entertainment Group downtown arena district properties.

Strang has been named vice president in the security operations bureau while Galvin is senior vice president with enterprise security and risk management. The two will be responsible for developing internal and external security policies and procedures in and around Rogers Place and the Ice District.

Both say the decision to leave EPS is bittersweet.

"I really enjoyed being there, however the situation in relation to our pension is such that if you stay too long, you really just about end up working for free, so I had to make a decision," Strang said Tuesday.

In the end Strang, a long-time member of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT), said he couldn't ignore the opportunity.

"To be able to to be part of something that is literally going to change downtown, change Edmonton, to be able to have a hand in that, is rather monumental and I just couldn't pass it up."

Galvin, who most recently served as superintendent of the EPS downtown division, said it was time to let someone else take over, while he can still use the skills and experience he gained on the police service job. 

"It really is just an extension, from my perspective, of the public service that I was involved in for 29 years," he said.

Downtown security poses unique challenges

Both men say they are familiar with the particular challenges posed by downtown Edmonton, which sees an influx of people during the work day but largely clears out as commuters start heading home at 5 p.m.

But that will likely change once the arena is up and running.

The inner-city area also is a hub for social agencies supporting the homeless and those with mental health and addiction issues.

"Because we both worked downtown, we understand the social issues down here and we really do see ourselves as being a component of the larger plan that EPS or any other social agency might make up," Strang said.

Both agree that developing strong relationships with other first responders working downtown — such as police, firefighters and paramedics — will need to be a priority as they design security.

"We understand that it's complex but shouldn't be a complicated relationship," Galvin said.

While it's still early days, Strang said they already have an existing model in mind as they determine how their security force will run.

"This might sound a little bit weird but initially we're looking at modeling the entertainment and the events downtown much like Disneyland," he said.  "It's a fun place but there are components that make you feel safe. You may not even see them, but they're there.

"That's going to be Utopia for us — to be able to make people feel safe but really not have people walking around with security jackets all over the place."