House with windows boarded. (Image Credit: ID 280261451 © Andrii Biletskyi | Dreamstime.com)

By Alyssa Rudolph

PUBLIC SAFETY

House notices aim to restore safety in Red Pheasant Cree Nation

Feb 24, 2026 | 3:06 PM

Leadership at Red Pheasant Cree Nation is increasing efforts to restore community safety, with stricter consequences aimed at curbing drug use and gang-related crimes.  

The Nation has been working closely with RCMP and the Saskatchewan Marshals Service to address certain areas in the community that have been linked to recent crimes. 

Chief Cody Benson said any houses suspected of being involved are now being monitored and will receive a notice to refrain from any related activity.

“We’re going to go house to house to the houses that we’re getting tips on. One of our people that we have does some of our community safety stuff, he is going to go out and deliver the letters, and we will go from there,” he said. 

The chief said he can’t continue to let community members live in fear as individuals attempt to sell drugs, vandalize property or house people from outside communities. 

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“If people aren’t taking the letter seriously, then we’re going to move to the next level and start having to remove people from houses and board them up,” said Benson. 

The same notice was published two years ago. At the time, two houses were boarded up, and the community saw drug and gang-related crimes decrease. 

“In the recent, probably three or four months, it’s amped up again and there’s been stuff going on, and we just need to let people know that we’re not going to put up with this and we’re going to make a stance against it,” Benson added.  

On the notice, residents are told that any homes affected by vandalism due to drug usage or gang affiliation will be required to file a report with RCMP prior to receiving support from Red Pheasant Cree Nation.  

“For instance, there were some houses that the gang unit kicked in because of drugs and stuff like that. Then they turn around; the people want us to fix it,” said the chief.  

Without doing proper paperwork and providing information to RCMP including who was in the house during the vandalism, and what happened; the Nation will not fix any damages.  

“We want to show the youth that our community is a safe place, and we want them to know that we’re fighting for them so that they don’t have to deal with this kind of stuff in the future,” Benson said. 

The leadership continues to strive for an overall safer community. 

“It’s all stepping stones towards that direction right now. What we’re trying to do is we’re trying to make those changes happen, but they don’t happen overnight.” 

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com