No Guarantee Of Increased Northern RCMP Presence

No Guarantee Of Increased Northern RCMP Presence

Thursday, August 31, 2006 at 14:28

 

 

A spokesman for the RCMP says despite new federal funding, the force isn’t necessarily looking to bump up numbers in northern Saskatchewan.

 

Last month, an inquest determined RCMP detachments on reserves in northern Manitoba were clearly understaffed.

 

The finding came from a provincial court judge who was presiding over the inquest involving the death of a man who had been fighting with a police officer in Norway House.

 

The chief of that community also went on record as saying more officers needed to be hired.

 

Sergeant Brad Kaeding of the RCMP’s “F” Division in Saskatchewan says the force doesn’t share those same concerns here.

 

The federal government has made clear its desire to bump up policing numbers across the country.

 

In its spring budget, it committed $161 million to train hundreds of more officers and support staff.

 

But Kaeding says that won’t mean more officers in our province unless the provincial government gets on side.

 

Kaeding notes other factors the force considers when deciding how many officers to hire for each community include the crime rate, where its located and the travel time there.