ESTEVAN, Sask. — The Estevan Police Service (EPS) had one of its quietest months for impaired driving charges in September.
According to numbers released at the Oct. 14 meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners, only one Criminal Code driving charge was laid, which was classed as an impaired/exceed-related offence. The EPS did not charge anyone for impaired driving by drug or dangerous driving during the month.
The numbers do not include instances in which the EPS is waiting for blood sample results for someone suspected of driving while impaired.
By comparison, the EPS had eight charges for impaired/exceed-related offences and six for impairment by drug in September 2025.
“It’s nice to see those numbers are down for specific offences,” said Police Chief Jamie Blunden.
Eighty-seven Criminal Code traffic charges were laid in the first nine months of 2026, with 58 for impaired/exceed-related offences, 23 for impairment by drug and six listed as dangerous driving and other. Eighty such charges were laid through Sept. 30, 2025.
Blunden stressed the lack of impaired driving-related charges wasn’t due to a lack of patrols. He pointed to more than 200 traffic tickets that were issued last month by members of patrol and Combined Traffic Services of Saskatchewan units. In September 2024, Blunden said just under 200 traffic tickets were issued, and in 2025, the number was just below the 150 mark.
“Overall, September was the highest in the last three years that it’s been for issuing tickets, so the members are out there doing the traffic enforcement," Blunden said.
The EPS had 509 total calls for service in September, down from 592 for September 2025. So far this year, the EPS has had 5,810 calls, a 9.3 per cent increase from the 5,317 reported in the first nine months of 2025.
Members handled 13 crimes against the person in September, with nine assaults, three assaults causing bodily harm and one sexual crime. There were 15 such incidents in September 2025.
In the first nine months of 2025, the EPS had 120 crimes against the person, including 86 assaults, 19 sexual crimes and 15 assaults causing bodily harm. There were 127 crimes against the person as of Sept. 30, 2025.
Members had 35 property crime incidents last month, with 15 for theft under $5,000 and 14 for mischief/wilful damage. Members also had four residential break-and-enters and two thefts of a motor vehicle.
Forty-seven property crime incidents were handled in September 2025.
As of Sept. 30, the EPS has had 343 property crimes this year, with 155 for thefts under $5,000 and 97 for mischief/wilful damage leading the way. The EPS has also had 62 break-and-enters (36 residential, 19 business and seven listed as other), 22 thefts of a motor vehicle and seven thefts over $5,000.
Members had 337 property crimes for the first nine months of last year.
No charges were listed under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) last month. A drug trafficking arrest was made, but Blunden said the file was initiated previously and has been counted in a prior month.
So far this year, the EPS has handled 13 infractions for drug trafficking and five for possession. There were 21 CDSA charges in the first nine months of last year.
Blunden noted the EPS has been tidying up some of the drug files that they had worked on, so members spent time on reports and follow-ups.
The five-year average for the first nine months of the year is 5,594 calls for service, including 121 crimes against the person, 315 property crimes, 91 Criminal Code traffic violations and 24 Criminal Code drug infractions.
