SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Swift Current RCMP are continuing targeted traffic enforcement while monitoring increases in some reported offences, including sexual assaults, according to the detachment’s latest quarterly report.
Detachment commander Evan Gordon presented the Swift Current Municipal RCMP’s second-quarter report to the city council on Oct. 13. The report covers July through September 2026.
Gordon said one of the areas that stood out during the quarter was a considerable increase in provincial traffic offences compared with previous years.
He said many of those numbers were connected to targeted enforcement by officers at intersections throughout the city, along with enforcement related to distracted driving and speeding.
“There is considerable effort being put forth towards making the streets of Swift Current considerably safer,” Gordon said.
Theft under $5,000 totalled 60 incidents during the quarter. Year-to-date numbers remained below last year’s level, with 184 incidents compared with 202 at the same point in 2025.
Gordon said the increase during the quarter was largely driven by shoplifting.
“That is an area we do see a problem with at some of our retail stores,” he said, adding police are working with those businesses to reduce incidents.
Property crime remained slightly below previous averages, while crimes against people continued to be an area of concern.
Gordon said those numbers began to stabilize during the quarter but remained higher than police would like.
Sexual offences increased to 16 from July through September, compared with 10 during the same period last year.
Gordon cautioned against drawing a simple conclusion from those numbers because sexual assaults can go unreported.
“We don’t hear about every single occurrence that happens for various different reasons,” he said.
“When you look at the numbers, it could be an increase, or it could be due to increased reporting, or a combination of the two.”
Gordon also addressed the role social media can play when allegations of sexual assault become public.
He said online discussion can sometimes encourage people to come forward who may not have initially reported an incident. However, he cautioned that social media discussions can also develop into what he described as a “mob mentality.”
He urged residents to be careful about information they share online, particularly when publication bans are in place.
Publication bans are often imposed to protect the identity of complainants or victims. Gordon said attempts on social media to identify people alleged to have committed crimes can also inadvertently harm victims or affect court proceedings.
“We just want to remind people that if there are publication bans in effect, respect them,” he said.
The quarterly report also noted five illicit drug overdoses, two of which were connected to one incident. None of the overdoses were fatal.
Gordon said police executed a search warrant at a residence in August that resulted in a man and woman being charged with possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, along with weapons offences.
Traffic enforcement also remained a focus during the quarter.
Police charged 12 drivers with impaired driving and issued five roadside suspensions. Gordon said four of the suspensions were related to alcohol and one was related to drugs.
Officers also charged 18 drivers with cellphone use while driving and issued eight warnings. Another 34 intersection-related traffic infractions were recorded.
Gordon said all municipal RCMP positions continued to be occupied as of November, although staffing pressures remain an issue across Saskatchewan.
“We continue to be in a good position staffing-wise,” Gordon said. “It is something we do continue to see across the province. Resource pressures do exist. They are getting better.”
