North Battleford will soon have five new RCMP officers, according to a press release Tuesday from the Government of Saskatchewan.
Three of the five officers will be funded by the government and the other two by the City of North Battleford.
The release comes in a timely manner, just one week after MLA, Len Taylor, addressed the Minister of Corrections in a letter expressing the desperate need for additional officers in the city. After learning North Battleford was, once again, number two in the country on the crime severity index for a city of its size, he urged the minister to respond quickly for the security and protection of the community.
"I am pleased that the provincial government has responded to the needs expressed by citizens in the city of North Battleford," Taylor commented.
"If we are going to reduce the incidents of crime or criminal activity we have to see this as first of many steps. More police officers will improve our circumstances but they won't necessarily reduce the incidents of crimes and therefore we need to do a number of other different things," said Taylor, indicating there are other concerns that need to be addressed, like the need for affordable housing and other issues that contribute to crime in the city.
Staff Sergeant Phil Wilson of the Battlefords RCMP is looking forward to the additional resources stating, "It will give our detachment the ability to be less reactionary and more proactive."
He also expressed his appreciation for the support of the province and the city.
