The Government of Saskatchewan is looking to build on the success of the province’s Crime Reduction Teams (CRT) and Warrant Enforcement Suppression Teams (WEST).

In just the first two months of 2023, WEST and CRT removed 67 guns, 142 grams of meth, 2,019 grams of cocaine, and three grams of fentanyl from Saskatchewan communities.

The Government of Saskatchewan is set to invest $1.6 million to establish an additional WEST stationed in Prince Albert and $1.6 million to establish a new CRT in the Battlefords region, bringing the total number of CRTs operating in the province from nine to 10.

For WEST, this represents an expansion from one team operating out of Meadow Lake and Saskatoon to two.

WEST was launched in April 2022 with a mandate to target high-profile offenders who are a significant threat to public safety, such as gang members and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.

In January and February of 2023 alone, WEST has made 13 arrests, had 11 criminal charges laid, and seized $10,000 in cash and property.

The new team is expected to be operational in late 2023-24 and will consist of eight RCMP officers, one analyst and one administrative support position.

For the CRTs, they are already three municipal CRTs (Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon) and six RCMP CRTs (La Ronge, Prince Albert, Meadow Lake, Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Lloydminster).

The CRT’s mandate is to target street gangs and prolific offenders and to respond to urban and rural crime surges as needed.

The new unit will consist of eight RCMP officers, one analyst and one administrative support position and is expected to be operational in late 2023-24.

In addition to the recent seizures in Prince Albert mentioned above, through January and February of this year, CRTs have made 88 arrests, laid 256 criminal charges, and seized over $158,000 in cash and property.