Sask. budget includes millions to hire new municipal police officers, marshals

Dayne Patterson · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 21, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

A information of Saskatchewan's $784-million policing and nationalist information fund for 2025-26 has been earmarked for astir 100 caller provincially-funded metropolis constabulary officers and 50 caller positions for its yet-inactive provincial constabulary force.

The Saskatchewan authorities unveiled its latest fund Wednesday. Premier Scott Moe said it addresses his halfway themes of health, acquisition and nationalist safety.

The information information was broken down into betterment and enforcement.

"At the precise basal of the challenges that we person successful many, if not virtually all, Saskatchewan communities … is the poisonous drugs that we spot coming into our communities," Moe said.

Saskatchewan has been moving toward adding 500 betterment beds and 500 constabulary officers successful caller years.

On Wednesday, the Saskatchewan authorities announced:

• $8 cardinal successful accrued backing for RCMP (totalling $261 million).
• $6 million, of a $12-million commitment, toward hiring astir 100 caller municipal constabulary officers.
• $3 cardinal to prosecute 14 caller Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) personnel.

It's unclear wherever the 100 caller municipal constabulary officers would beryllium located.

Rhonda Blackmore, the commanding serviceman of the Saskatchewan RCMP, said immoderate provincial dollars are going toward relieving RCMP of immoderate of its responsibilities, similar captive transports.

Blackmore said RCMP's kid exploitation portion has seen historically precocious numbers. According to a January quality release, RCMP's large crimes portion investigated 38 homicides with 40 victims past year, the "highest ever" successful Saskatchewan RCMP history.

"Crime is continuing to escalate, transgression is continuing to go much convulsive and we request to marque definite we person the resources some from a quality resource, but besides that exertion and ability," Blackmore said.

$4 cardinal for marshals work hiring

The fund besides features $4 cardinal for hiring 50 caller Saskatchewan Marshals Service personnel.

According to the astir recent update, posted connected the marshals work website successful December 2024, the unit is expected to beryllium progressive by summer 2025.

"The world is that we've not seen the boots connected the crushed that person been promised," Opposition NDP person Carla Beck said Wednesday.

"We've seen them put successful much bureaucracy, sometimes successful hats, but not really delivering connected existent boots connected the ground: radical successful those positions providing that protection."

In October, the NDP criticized the Saskatchewan authorities for spending much than $41,000 connected hats for the marshals service.