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(Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)
Crime Spike

Saskatoon & Regina police, RCMP supporting PAPS after recent murders, spike in crime

Jun 3, 2022 | 9:49 AM

Police detachments from across the province are supporting the Prince Albert Police Service after two recent homicides.

This past Saturday, a 32-year-old man was killed in a shooting, while a 47-year-old man, later identified as Barry Pruden, died after he and his daughter were allegedly confronted by several individuals late at night.

A 15-year-old has since been charged with Pruden’s death.

From May 26 to June 2 PAPS responded to over 1,200 calls for service which is a roughly 11 per cent increase from the previous week.

Officers with the Saskatoon Police Service, Regina Police Service, and RCMP are sharing provincially-funded Crime Reduction Team resources to help address the spike in crime.

PAPS and the Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety Ministry didn’t clarify exactly what resources are being shared, however, P.A. police chief Jon Bergen said the extra help is appreciated.

“This is a difficult time for our community. The resource challenges we are experiencing and the rise in violent crime we are seeing have impacted the safety and security of residents and families.”

CRT resources are usually shared when a community is experiencing a rise in crime. Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Christine Tell added the situation in P.A. is a perfect example of what the CRT model was designed for.

“I am proud of how quickly ministry officials and our police services were able to bring this all together and deploy these additional officers and resources to Prince Albert.”

Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow

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