$5.88 Million Towards Saskatoon Policing Initiatives
The Ministry of Corrections and Policing is providing $4.98 million through the Municipal Police Grants program for 43 existing Saskatoon Police Service positions in 2020-2021. This is an increase of $70,000 from last year.
“Public safety is a priority for our government,” Saskatoon University MLA Eric Olauson said on behalf of Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell. “We are proud to support the Saskatoon Police Service and the work it does to ensure community safety.”
The funding for Saskatoon supports the renewal of the Police and Crisis Team (PACT), which comprises police officers and mental health workers who provide an integrated and coordinated response to persons experiencing a mental health crisis in the community. Funding also supports the Integrated Crime Reduction Team which gathers intelligence on street gangs and gang associates, and the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) program, which is dedicated to the investigation of child exploitation offenses.
Saskatchewan Government Insurance is also providing $900,000 for five positions as part of the Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan initiative. This brings the total amount of the Saskatoon Police Service Funding Agreement to $5.88 million for 48 police positions in 2020-2021.
“This support from the province helps the Saskatoon Police Service work towards community safety in Saskatoon,” Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said. “Community well-being is complex work, and we increasingly need to be reaching out and building partnerships between governments and agencies to find success in this area.”
“Efforts of both prevention and enforcement around gang-activity, exploitation and violence are critical to public safety in Saskatoon,” Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper said. “The continued support provided by the Province of Saskatchewan assists our officers as they address these issues.”
The Ministry of Corrections and Policing provides funds to police services across Saskatchewan through the Municipal Police Grants program to support 129 municipal police positions and targeted policing initiatives.
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