Following the deaths of 11 people in James Smith/Weldon last month, one of the things the province will change is to add a warrant enforcement team to Prince Albert. (file photo)

By Susan McNeil

Policing

Eight warrant enforcement officers announced for PA, marshall service to be created

Oct 27, 2022 | 5:00 PM

The province will pay for eight new policing positions to be based out of Prince Albert, expanding the WEST program and law enforcement’s ability to track high-profile offenders.

Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty announced the expansion in yesterday’s Throne Speech that kicked off the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly.

“There are still too many criminals with outstanding warrants at large in our province. In the months ahead my government will add eight more officers to the Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team in Prince Albert,” said Mirasty.

A Crime Reduction team will be added in North Battleford as well.

The WEST teams were first created in November of last year with officers based in Saskatoon and Meadow Lake.

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They have the job of arresting high-profile offenders with outstanding warrants and criminals violating court-imposed release conditions.

At the same time, the province said it would use electronic monitoring and GPS systems to make sure criminals stay inside the geographical boundaries listed in their release conditions.

WEST had a start-up budget of $370,000 and will get $1.6 million each year afterward. The GPS monitoring system costs $673,000 to start and will have ongoing operating costs of $1.3 million annually.

The James Smith/Weldon incident turned up weaknesses in the warrant process, which the province said needs to be addressed immediately. The province added that officials will be working on sharing information with the federal correctional service.

The killing of 11 people in September by Myles Sanderson, who had been in public for months despite having a warrant out for his arrest, has also prompted the creation of a Marshall Service.

“The recent shocking and tragic events at James Smith Cree Nation and the Village of Weldon underscores that more needs to be done to protect Saskatchewan people,” said Mirasty.

Details on how the Marshall Service will work have not been released yet, but its overall task is to help RCMP, and municipal police forces do their jobs.

The RCMP told paNOW that it is waiting for more details as well and that it will work “collaboratively to determine how the SMS will fit into the existing policing services in the province.

“I am proud of the work that our Saskatchewan RCMP officers and employees do every day and their continued focus on community safety across this province,” said Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, Commanding Officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP. “Public safety has always been and will continue to be our priority as the Saskatchewan Provincial Police— our dedication and commitment to this will not waver.”

She added that the expansion of the WEST teams and the Crime Reduction teams will build on the work the existing teams have been doing to prevent and reduce crime across Saskatchewan.

In other policing mandates, Mirasty said discussions will continue with the Prince Albert Grand Council on the creation of a ‘self-administered’ Indigenous police force and will include the federal government.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com