Saskatoon Police Commission Supports Hiring of 8 Additional Officers, Recommends Approval by City Council

The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners has voted in favour of a motion that supports the hiring of 8 additional officers to form a Community Mobilization Unit with which to promote community safety amidst the introduction of a supervised consumption site in Saskatoon.

The Police Commission voted in favour of the following motion: “That an addition of $828,000 in the 2020 Operating Budget and $807,600 in the 2021 Operating Budget in order to resource a Community Mobilization Unit comprised of 8 police officers as outlined in the attached business case be approved.”

Members of the Board of Police Commissioners noted that the Saskatoon Police Service had evaluated the implementation of federally-approved supervised consumption sites in other cities and had reached the conclusion that the appropriate preparatory steps were essential to safe and effective supervised consumption site operations. The report indicated that taking steps “after the fact” invariably led to significant community safety issues in the area where such sites were located. The Police Service report concluded that ensuring the needed resources are in place before the site opens, alongside partnering with groups in the vicinity, are vital to achieving success with a supervised consumption site.

Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners Chair Darlene Brander stated, “The Board was of the view that the resources, identified by a careful study of what had worked, and not worked, in other cities, need to be put in place before the site opens. As well, the message from about 80 residents at the Police Commission’s community consultation in mid-October was loud and clear that additional resources are needed in Saskatoon. While the Board of Police Commissioners is fully aware of the timing of this request relative to the City’s budget process, it concluded that ensuring community safety should be the overriding factor.”

Contact:

Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners Chair Darlene Brander at info@saskatoonpolicecommission.com

Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners Vice-Chair Carolanne Inglis-McQuay at info@saskatoonpolicecommission.com

Dwight Percy, Consultant to the Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners, info@saskatoonpolicecommission.com or 306-222-1361

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