A Saskatchewan Marshals Service (SMS) vehicle is pictured in this undated photo. The agency has hired three new members ahead of launching its regional headquarters in North Battleford in early 2026. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW)

By Kenneth Cheung

SMS

Three members hired ahead of Sask. Marshals Service regional HQ launch in North Battleford

Dec 4, 2025 | 2:30 PM

The Saskatchewan Marshals Service (SMS) has hired three experienced police officers as it prepares to stand up its new regional headquarters in North Battleford early in the new year.

The agency announced Tuesday that Marshals Chaplin, Hutchison and Antymniuk bring “over 29+ years of combined policing and law enforcement experience,” and will be based out of the Battlefords regional office as the service builds out its second operating hub in the province, alongside the existing provincial headquarters in Prince Albert.

Deputy Chief Richard Lowen said the three recruits are now in training and are expected to become operational in early January, alongside additional officers joining the unit.

Lowen said the marshals’ mandate is to “detect, disrupt and deter criminal activity across Saskatchewan,” with a focus on locating and apprehending prolific violent offenders and assisting other police agencies that request help.

“We always like to remind people we are not the police of jurisdiction. We are there to support the police of jurisdiction. In your case in North Battleford, that would be the RCMP,” he said.

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“We are there to support them and support communities with enforcement and conduct investigations and anything that may be required as agencies request our assistance.”

(Saskatchewan Marshals Service/Facebook)

He said the marshals already carry out similar work out of their Prince Albert location, which saw its first class of members begin duties in May, including assisting the RCMP with major investigations, executing search warrants, monitoring prolific offenders and supporting emergency or labour-intensive scenes.

“Sometimes as simple as they need somebody to help manage a scene or sustain a crime scene, as you know, that can be very labour intensive, and if we can be there to support them in something like that, that allows their officers to focus on the investigation itself or move on to other needs across the community,” Lowen said.

He added the same approach will apply in the Battlefords, including work with municipalities and First Nations. While Red Pheasant Cree Nation has signed MOU with SMS, Lowen stressed the service is not a first-response agency.

“We are not a 911 response,” he said.

“If a community calls us and says something just happened, or an offense just occurred, that is directed to the police of jurisdiction; we can be there to support that police and jurisdiction if they need help.”

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SMS is currently operating from a temporary space in North Battleford, with requests for proposals underway for a permanent headquarters expected to accommodate 21 sworn officers and support staff.

Lowen said the service chose the Battlefords region after analyzing crime levels and policing demand across Saskatchewan.

“It really is an analysis of the demand on policing across the province and we recognize there’s a big demand on policing in the North Battleford region, and it is an area that could do with support,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to being part of the [community]. So it’s going to be an exciting year coming up.”

Lowen said residents may begin seeing marshal vehicles in the community as training continues ahead of the January launch.

“We will probably be ready and operational at the beginning of the new year,” he said.

The service is in the process of hiring an Inspector in Charge for the regional HQ.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com