Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore has assumed her role as the Commanding Officer for the Saskatchewan RCMP.
Originally from Hanover, Ontario, Assistant Commissioner Blackmore joined the RCMP 25 years ago and has served in Saskatchewan, Ottawa and Alberta. Her experiences early in her career working in Assiniboia, Regina (now White Butte) and Buffalo Narrows Detachments served as the foundation to her policing career with each posting in the province providing her with a strong understanding of policing in the Saskatchewan.
Coming back to Saskatchewan is something Assistant Commissioner Blackmore welcomes. “Even though I’m originally from Ontario, coming back to Saskatchewan is a little bit like coming home,” she said. “And the one thing I’ve noticed in the short time I’ve been here is how the hospitality of people of Saskatchewan hasn’t changed.
Assistant Commissioner Blackmore is looking forward to supporting Saskatchewan RCMP employees and building strong relationships with communities, partners and stakeholders. When asked what is key to community safety in our province, she said, “It is a diverse area, and that’s going to mean there’s varied needs or priorities from different communities throughout the province. So we need to be responsive to those needs. We need to have open communication with our communities, with our community leaders and people within our communities, and make sure we’re engaging with them on what their priorities are, what their concerns are and what we need to deliver to ensure they feel safe and secure in their homes and communities.”
Introducing herself to employees, partners, communities, and stakeholders is a priority for Assistant Commissioner Blackmore. “My priority is to meet people, as best we can. In the current environment, much that will be virtually, of course, initially,” she said. “Hopefully at some point we will get the opportunity to meet people again in person, so that I can get out there and have those really important conversations on what they see as priorities, what we’re doing well, areas where we could improve.”
This appointment was made in collaboration with the province of Saskatchewan.
Watch: an interview with the new Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzaQLuXufS8
