(File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Tackling crime

Battlefords RCMP Gang Task Force sees success with SGI support

Jan 15, 2024 | 4:45 PM

The Battlefords RCMP Gang Task Force have been better able to tackle crime in the community with help from SGI.

The RCMP reports the Gang Task Force received covert surveillance vehicles from SGI last year, which they found to be highly useful in their work.

Battlefords RCMP Sgt. Chris Stephens said the initiative has been a great help.

“Our Gang Task Force has done some excellent work here since their creation a couple of years ago, and more especially this last year,” he told battlefordsNOW. “The collaboration we’ve had with SGI has been phenomenal.”

Stephens noted SGI also does a lot of work with all the communities within the province as well as the Battlefords.

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“This program in particular has benefited not only the Battlefords RCMP detachment but the Battlefords as a community as a whole – not just the city but the whole area,” he said. “With them being able to provide us with support in our initiatives and our projects, it really enhances the work that we can do, and takes some of the pressures off our resourcing, our vehicles, and equipment to be able to go out there and do what we need to do to try and curb [crime].”

Stephens added SGI are always good to work with, and are great for the communities.

“It would be a lot harder to do without their support,” he said.

RCMP Inspector Jesse Gilbert, Battlefords RCMP detachment commander, said the partnership as well as SGI’s vehicles have given RCMP officers an additional means to target serious offences as well as stolen vehicles in the community.

“We look forward to continuing this relationship and future success of the program,” he said in the release.

When the Task Force first determined additional surveillance vehicles were needed, the Battlefords Detachment partnered with SGI, which provided two vehicles to be used for covert surveillance.

The vehicles are used to target and disrupt serious crime under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Criminal Code.

Police say the vehicles have also been used to recover stolen vehicles, execute search warrants, arrest wanted people, help with general duty complaints, apprehend homicide suspects, and conduct surveillance for many other offences.

Since the start of the program in May 2023 to Dec. 2023, the Gang Task Force used the SGI vehicles to seize and recover the following items: 15 stolen vehicles – a $457,000 value of vehicles recovered; 15 firearms; 22 weapons; more than $36,500 of drugs, including methamphetamine, Psilocybin mushrooms, cocaine, and marijuana; and $15,000 in Canadian currency from the proceeds of crime.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsnow