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Saskatoon’s board of police commissioners expects to hear from city police leaders about their plans and goals for 2025 at a meeting this week.
The Saskatoon Police Service has listed a number of initiatives for 2025 that it hopes to achieve to address community concerns in the city.
Saskatoon’s board of police commissioners expects to hear from city police leaders about their plans and goals for 2025 at a meeting this week.
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In a report outlining the presentation to Thursday’s police board meeting, Chief Cam McBride says two new projects will be highlighted.
“In collaboration with Family Service Saskatoon, we will implement an Intimate Partner Violence Response Team to better assist victims and manage offenders,” the report states, noting that Interpersonal violence rates are disproportionately high in Saskatchewan.
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Family Service Saskatoon offers counselling and group programs to youth, couples and families for issues around intimate partner violence, divorce, mental wellness and anger management.
“A Warrant Enforcement Unit will be piloted to apprehend persons who pose a significant risk to the community,” the report adds.
Stepping up police enforcement of outstanding warrants was among the recommendations from the coroner’s inquest into the mass stabbings at James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon.
Other initiatives listed in the report include a partnership with the Saskatchewan Firearms Office to deal with guns used in criminal offences, and a collaboration with local stakeholders to find ways to regulate bear spray in Saskatoon, where its use as a weapon has become more common recently.
The report says “social disorder” calls have increased by 72 per cent since 2018. Not all of these calls are criminal in nature, but they reduce the quality of life in the community, it adds.
The report also includes plans to enhancing traffic safety enforcement and promote a healthy work environment and learning culture within the police department.
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It outlines plans for evaluating staffing needs, strengthening the recruitment strategy to create a more inclusive and diverse police force, increasing engagement with Indigenous communities, creating positive police interactions with students, and supporting community organizations.
The goals listed in the report also include expanded use of technology — such as employing artificial intelligence for administrative work.
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