MEADOW LAKE — This summer, Spiritwood and Meadow Lake RCMP have had a few occasions to work with members of the provincial Protection and Response Team (PRT) including conservation officers with the Provincial Protective Services Branch from Meadow Lake, Spiritwood, Loon Lake, Pierceland, North Battleford and Dorintosh.
Across the province, Saskatchewan RCMP can seek the support of the PRT for assistance with traffic control, scene security, searching for missing people and other activities. This co-operation is shared as RCMP officers, in turn, assist PRT members as needed or as jurisdiction may require.
“The PRT is another resource we can call on when needed, and we’re lucky to have such great working relationships with each other,” says Spiritwood Detachment Commander, Sgt. Clay Parenteau.
“We’re all peace officers, so we’re all invested in public safety and working towards the best possible outcome for any incident,”
This was underscored when, on June 28, Spiritwood RCMP responded to a call involving a large group of approximately 12 boaters and passengers stranded on Chitek Lake. The group was unsure of their exact location and called Spiritwood RCMP after boat trouble and bad weather left them stranded on the lake.
Spiritwood RCMP officer Cst. Brad Smailes immediately responded and was joined by conservation officer Sgt. Jason Reddekopp in the search that thankfully located the missing party, resulting in everyone returning to shore safe.
“Whether it’s helping search teams navigate local bodies of water, or deeply forested areas, we’re happy to help,” says Sgt. Reddekopp.
The pair also teamed up when Spiritwood RCMP received multiple reports of a stranded boater on Chitek Lake on July 8. When they arrived at the lake, the vessel was being towed by a member of the public. Officers assisted once on shore, while also confirming the well-being of the boater.
The Saskatchewan RCMP and PRT partnership was further highlighted when a child, who was reported missing to Meadow Lake RCMP on June 30, was located and returned safe to their family following an extensive search.
Meadow Lake RCMP and RCMP Police Dog Services were joined by six conservation officers and numerous members of the public to search for the child, who was found approximately 10 kilometres from their last known location.
“A missing child is always a very stressful and serious situation, so I was happy we could help, and thankful they were found safe,” says conservation officer Kyle Cousins, who handed the child over to Meadow Lake RCMP officers after they were located by a volunteer searcher.
As Saskatchewan’s provincial police, RCMP officers work closely with provincial peace officers including conservation officers with the Provincial Protective Services Branch, according to an RCMP press release. The skills and experience of officers with each partner agency uniquely contributes to the common goal of keeping the public safe, the release states.
– Submitted by Saskatchewan RCMP Media Relations
