One of the first tasks for the new director of the Serious Incident Response Team is selecting his team.

Criminal defence lawyer Mike King has been named director, and will assemble the province’s first Serious Incident Response Team to investigate all matters involving death, serious injury, sexual offence, domestic violence and other matters of significant public interest that involve police.

Justice Minister, Andrew Parsons says the process to pick the team will be determined by King.

He says whether it’s seconded officers from the RCMP or RNC, or hiring other investigators from other backgrounds – all are decisions King needs to make. Parsons says King has experience in working with police forces and will know what skill set he needs.

There are currently 10 active cases in the province, involving outside support like the ASIRT (Alberta Serious Incident Response Team) and King has the choice on what to do with those. Parsons says discretion is in the legislation that the director has the choice on whether to let them continue as is, or take them on.

There was roughly $500,000 allocated for the SIRT in the 2019 Budget.

Meanwhile, both the RNC and RCMP are welcoming the appointment of Mike King as SIRT director.

RNC Chief, Joe Boland says they have always been in support of the team. He says public confidence in policing is of utmost importance so that people in the province, especially vulnerable people, will be comfortable coming forward.

He calls it a great day.

Chief Superintendent with the RCMP Garrett Woolsey says public transparency and accountability is top of mind and the SIRT is an excellent program.

He says he’s not worried about the possibility of losing an officer to the team.

Woolsey says as they’re currently structured they are contributing resources to investigations anyways, so at worst its a saw-off and at best they benefit resource-wise at the end of the day.