NORTH CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN — Saskatchewan RCMP says residents in the Prince Albert, Ahtahkakoop/Shellbrook and Waskesiu/Montreal Lake detachment areas may notice an increased police presence in their communities in the coming weeks.
According to a release issued Friday, multiple Saskatchewan RCMP detachments and units are working together to investigate a number of recent incidents in the area surrounding Prince Albert, including a firearms discharge reported on Monday, Sept. 11. Investigation has determined that some of these reports of violent and property crime are likely gang-related, say police.
"While historically there is typically an increase in violent and property crime during the summer months, initial data indicates a larger-than-usual increase in the Prince Albert detachment area in August. Formal statistics will be available later this fall after our detachments and units have time to finalize data input. This ensures we are passing along the most accurate information to the public," stated the release. "Saskatchewan RCMP officers will be working to deter crime, as well as arrest those responsible for incidents already reported."
Involved units include: the Prince Albert, Ahtahkakoop/Shellbrook and Waskesiu/Montreal Lake detachments; the Prince Albert, North Battleford, La Ronge and Meadow Lake Crime Reduction Teams (CRT); the Prince Albert Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team (WEST); Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan; and the Prince Albert General Investigation Section."
“As our provincial police service, Saskatchewan RCMP is uniquely able to deploy specialized units to assist frontline police officers at our detachments. We are also able to seamlessly investigate connections between incidents that may cross community borders,” says S/Sgt. Ryan How, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement and Response Team (SERT)’s North Region Manager. “This current police operation is a prime example of RCMP officers working together to ensure community safety.”
The Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Team (SERT) consists of Saskatchewan RCMP's Crime Reduction Team (CRT) and Warrant Enforcement Suppression Team (WEST), as well as the Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team (STRT).
Saskatchewan RCMP asks the public to report all suspicious activity to police.
“Sometimes you see something you think may be a little off, and you brush it off and don’t report it to police. We are encouraging you to report everything. You’re not wasting our time or resources – you may be holding the piece of information we need to solve a puzzle,” S/Sgt. How says. “Saskatchewan RCMP uses intelligence-led policing. While we have analysts and other public safety professionals gathering that intelligence, the public has an important role to play, too. When you report all crimes and suspicious activity, it helps us determine hot spots and trends, and allows us to deploy our resources effectively.”
Saskatchewan RCMP will provide updates on this work as it is able to, states Friday's release. If at any time ,investigation determines an imminent risk to public safety exists, RCMP say, they will inform the public.
Information about suspicious persons, crimes, or the location of wanted individuals can be reported to your police of jurisdiction. Dial 310-RCMP to reach your local RCMP detachment.
You can also report Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com. It’s completely anonymous and you may be eligible for a cash reward.
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