Saskatchewan Party’s Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Plan

500 More Police Officers, Stronger Laws, More Addictions Treatment Spaces

A re-elected Saskatchewan Party government will make Saskatchewan neighbourhoods and communities safer by funding more police officer positions, adding addictions treatment spaces and strengthening The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Act and other related legislation to better address issues like public intoxication, vandalism, loitering and nuisance properties.

“Our government recently announced new funding for 100 new municipal police officers and 14 new SCAN officers,” said Premier Scott Moe. “We have added 192 new RCMP officers since 2011 and are fully funding 180 new RCMP positions.  This is in addition to 70 new officers through the Saskatchewan Marshals Service. That is over 500 new police officers in Saskatchewan.

“Now, we want to strengthen our laws to make sure those officers have the tools they need so everyone in Saskatchewan feels safe in their communities and neighbourhoods.”

Amendments to address The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act will provide officers with additional authority to:

• Address public nuisances and shut down nuisance properties, such as the power to address an abandoned building that has been repeatedly broken into or has trespassers squatting in it; and
• Additional authority to address intoxication on public property, vandalism and individuals behaving in a disruptive manner on public property or in public spaces like a shopping mall.

These new measures will build on previous changes introduced by the Saskatchewan Party government that allow a business to designate police as the authorized representative of their property.   This measure allows police to remove unauthorized individuals from a business after hours without waiting for the owner’s permission.  The Moose Jaw Police Service recently undertook this new measure with downtown businesses.

“Everyone in Saskatchewan deserves to feel safe in their community, their business and their neighbourhood,” Moe said. “That means having the right laws in place and having the police officers to enforce those laws.

“We know that most crime today is driven by drug addiction, so it also means having treatment beds available when an individual is ready to get help. That’s why our government has been increasing the number of addiction treatment spaces available in Saskatchewan.   

“Our approach is stronger laws and providing more addictions treatment, not the NDP approach of weaker laws and providing more drugs.”