SASKATOON — A day after the Meadow Lake Tribal Council called for urgent action on policing gaps in their Northern communities, the RCMP issued a statement saying there has been public dialogue about providing services in Saskatchewan that needs to be addressed.
At the media availability on Wednesday, leaders of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council were urging the provincial and federal governments to act immediately on long-promised policing reforms, saying northern First Nations communities are facing escalating violence, gangs and drug activity without adequate law enforcement.
MLTC Chief Jeremy Norman said some communities wait more than an hour for RCMP response, forcing chiefs and council members to intervene in dangerous situations themselves. With inconsistent policing and security hires unable to prevent crime, Norman was calling for a community-led policing model similar to Saskatchewan’s marshal program, stressing that systemic failures in the current system are putting lives at risk.
He said First Nations need a real policing presence now—not in another decade—and wants all levels of government to work together to prioritize safety.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Robin McNeil said they understand the frustration of communities, not only in First Nations, across the country, with the violence, drugs and addictions, but their officers are "working hard daily to address these and other social issues."
“We are your Provincial Police Service, and we will continue to support the communities where we work and live proudly. We have been very transparent with the calls for service we receive. As mentioned in our last annual statistics release, calls for service in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction have risen 45 per cent over the last 10 years. Violent crime has also risen 45 per cent over the same time period. Violent firearm offences have tripled over the last decade,” McNeil said in the statement sent to the media, which was later posted on their social media pages.
He added that addiction, gang involvement and mental health issues impacted all communities, which contribute to the calls they respond to for their police service. However, they remain committed to addressing these issues and their root cause, and policing alone won’t solve them.
“The Saskatchewan RCMP is only one piece of the response. Social issues are complex and require a coordinated, multi-agency response. We will continue to engage with our partners at the local, provincial and national levels, and welcome opportunities to discuss public safety with them,” he said.
McNeil outlined what the Saskatchewan RCMP is doing in the communities they serve.
"Frontline police officers work tirelessly, proactively reducing crime and responding to calls for service. It’s important to note that police response times to calls for service vary significantly from one area to another and from one incident to the next. Several factors influence response times, such as the geographical challenges posed by the vast size of many of our detachment areas, road and weather conditions, call severity, and the volume and level of urgency of other calls for service we are responding to. In many of our remote, rural and northern communities, police officers aren’t just solving crime – they also respond to fires, medical emergencies and mental health crises, among others. While this is essential work and we will always do what we must to keep people safe, these roles are typically taken on by other emergency and healthcare services,” said McNeil.
He added that behind every frontline RCMP officer at a detachment is an extensive network of specialized units ready to help whenever the need arises, including the Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams, the Critical Incident Response Team, Traffic Services, Police Dog Services, Major Crimes, and so many more.
“They respond to communities throughout the province – no matter how remote. We are grateful for the province’s support, including investment in some of these specialized units in recent years.
"I see firsthand every day the excellent work the police officers and staff of the Saskatchewan RCMP do. They are dedicated, resilient and above all, committed to maintaining public safety. Don’t forget – these are our communities, too.
"I could not let this conversation about public safety continue without expressing the utmost pride and confidence I have in Saskatchewan RCMP’s police officers and staff. They are undoubtedly maintaining the safety of Saskatchewan communities,” concluded McNeil.
