EPS Staff Report Mixed Views on Management
New employee survey shows officers proud of their work but only 39% view senior leadership favorably.
Edmonton Police Service's first employee engagement survey since 2023 reveals a workforce that's proud of its badge but skeptical of the top floor. Of the roughly 3,000 staff, 1,885 responded to the biennial survey conducted in November. The results paint a mixed picture.
The good: 78% of respondents say they're proud to tell others they work for EPS. Team morale is solid—80% rated their immediate team favorably. Physical and mental health scores are respectable at 77% and 69%, respectively. Ninety percent of respondents rated their sense of belonging positively.
The bad: only 39% reported a favourable view of senior management. That's an improvement from 2023, but it's still telling. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they had negative views on how the organization values people, and just 52% were satisfied with their total compensation. Career growth opportunities scored 58% favorability—solid, but room to grow.
Police Chief Warren Driechel called the results reassuring, noting he's been with the service 30 years and believes he understands what members need to do difficult work. Commission Chairman Ben Henderson acknowledged the gap between front-line and upper management as an area of focus. The survey also revealed that 16% of respondents preferred not to answer demographic questions about ethnicity, mental health, gender, or sexuality—a cautious workforce when it comes to personal disclosure.
The message from the rank and file is clear: we're committed to this job, we believe in our teams, but leadership needs to close the distance.