ASSINIBOIA — Assiniboia RCMP officers are now equipped with body-worn cameras, part of a national initiative to enhance transparency, accountability and public trust.
In the most recent newsletter issued by the Assiniboia RCMP Detachment, it was announced, “When you see our local officers you may notice a new piece of equipment on their vest – a body-worn camera (BWC). The body-worn camera project started in November of 2024 and saw 10–15,000 BWCs deployed to frontline members across Canada.”
The cameras are now a national standard for general duty RCMP officers. The introduction of BWCs is intended to capture an accurate and unbiased audio and video account of incidents involving police. The hope is that these will result in greater accountability and public trust, better interactions between police and the public, improved evidence gathering and quicker resolution of public complaints.
Assiniboia RCMP add, “Our team is happy with the implementation of the body-worn cameras and would be happy to chat with you about them and answer any questions you may have. As with any RCMP report, the public may submit a request for camera footage in which they are captured. This request is done through the ATIP (Access to Information and Privacy Act) process. If you have any questions about the BWCs or the ATIP process, please contact the Detachment.”
Assiniboia RCMP are also happy to report that calls for service regarding frauds and scams are down.
“Last year in our second quarter, we had 10 files and over the same period this year we went down to six. The newsletter also contains some good tips on identifying frauds and scams,” says Christine Poirier, DSA of Assiniboia Detachment. “If you are unsure about the legitimacy of something, please stop by the Detachment or give us a call. You aren’t an inconvenience, and we’d much rather help you now, rather than when you’re out thousands of dollars.”
A reminder that there is a slight change in office hours in Assiniboia: the front counter is now open weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on statutory holidays. The public is also reminded to make an appointment if they need a criminal record check.
If you have information regarding a crime in Saskatchewan, you can submit an anonymous tip at www.saskcrimestoppers.com, call 1-800-222-8477, or download P3 Global Intel Top Management Software on your mobile device.
If your tip results in information leading to an arrest or solving a crime, you may receive a cash reward of up to $2,000. Calls are not traced or recorded, and callers do not have to identify themselves. The tips you provide may assist your local detachment in reducing criminal activity.
