Fort Macleod is continuing its quest to bring a new provincial police college to the original home of the North West Mounted Police.

   A proposal for land procurement, which is the second step in the process, is being prepared on behalf of the Town of Fort Macleod.

   "We have set up a task force," Mayor Shawn Patience said. "We have developed a task force that is going to put together the request for proposals for land procurement."

   Fort Macleod was one of 30 Alberta towns and cities to submit a proposal to be the site of the proposed provincial police college.

   The college will train an estimated 1,000 police and peace officers each year, and will become a training and resource centre for law enforcement.

   The provincial government has determined the college will be built on a single site in one community, and has called for proposals for land procurement from the original applicants.

   "We don't have a lot of time," Patience told council Oct. 24. "That's why we have the process started."

   At the Oct. 24 council meeting, council struck the ad hoc police college committee, which includes as its members economic development officer Gordon MacIvor, Mayor Shawn Patience, councillors Christine Trowbridge and Mike Bourassa, municipal manager Lane McLaren, Dave McNab and Frank McTighe.

   The committee's focus will be identifying the 300 acres of land on which the college could be built in Fort Macleod.

   "We haven't been told there is going to be a shortlisting process," Patience said. "As far as we can tell they're going to just pick a winner."

   "I think we've got a very good chance."