The commanding officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP spoke during a panel discussion at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities midterm convention in Saskatoon on Thursday.

Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore says after declining during the pandemic, the number of rural property crimes is now increasing.

“With the price of fuel, it’s becoming a hot commodity for thefts,” she said. “We’ve had reports of 61 thefts from fuel tanks and from jerry cans, and an additional 12 thefts from farm equipment.”

There have been concerns about a shortage of RCMP officers in rural detachments. Blackmore says schedules are being amalgamated and more cadets are being recruited. She notes there have been 103 new cadets at the Regina depot since April 1st. There are another 18 cadets that have been posted to Saskatchewan and are finishing their training.

Another option being considered is a police boundary review. Blackmore says some of the detachment boundaries are unchanged from the 1950’s. Populations have shifted and adjusting boundaries could allow officers to respond more quickly in certain areas.

The provincial RCMP commanding officer also has many unanswered questions about the Saskatchewan government’s plan to introduce a Marshals Service in mid-to-late 2026. Approximately 70 officers would assist RCMP and municipal police in areas with high crime rates, apprehending people with outstanding warrants and investigating rural-based offenses like theft and trespassing.

“Why is money being put into creating a new police service when we (RCMP) have the infrastructure available? We have vehicles. We have buildings. The training and equipment are already in place. All of those startup costs are significant,” Blackmore said.

The Saskatchewan government estimates the cost of operating the Marshals Service on an annual basis is approximately $20 million.