North Battleford will continue to receive $770,000 in grant funding from the province to fill seven specialized positions. (File Photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Josh Ryan

RCMP funding extended

Battlefords RCMP continue to receive key funding from province

Jul 15, 2020 | 12:56 PM

North Battleford RCMP, along with detachments across the province, will continue to receive grant funding from the provincial government through the Municipal Police Grants program.

A total of $770,000 from the Ministry of Corrections and Policing will go to policing initiatives in the city. The extension of the grant funds seven existing positions at North Battleford RCMP in 2020-21.

“We are proud to provide this funding to ensure communities are safe and the RCMP is supported in the work it does every day to protect citizens in North Battleford,” Battlefords MLA Herb Cox said on behalf of Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell.

The Municipal Police Grant program is designed to support enhanced community policing throughout communities and ensure safety. In this case, it allows North Battleford to continue with seven enhanced members.

“Basically, we remain status quo,” Sgt. Jason Teniuk said. “We just keep the same members we had.”

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These members work on proactive measures to tackle specific problems in each community.

“They could be targeting drug house one week or a property theft ring another week,” he said. “They’re very strategic in what they do.”

Given the current climate around the use of law enforcement, Teniuk said he isn’t surprised by the conversation around police funding and a focus on mental health, which was brought forward to council in Prince Albert. However, he cautioned against removing funding without having plans and people selected to replace that need.

“Are the police being effectively used, are the police being efficiently used and the police being properly used?” Teniuk said. “Those questions are worth contemplating.”

Specifically speaking to the seven positions in place thanks to this funding, Teniuk said losing one of them would be catastrophic.

“We would have the ability to do considerably less than we are able to do right now.”

“Community safety is a priority for our city and these enhanced positions are important to our strategies related to prolific and repeat offenders,” North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater said. “We are grateful for the continued support of the Government of Saskatchewan through this grant.”

The Ministry of Corrections and Policing provides funds to police services across Saskatchewan through the Municipal Police Grants program that supports 129 municipal police positions and targeted policing initiatives.

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports