One of the provincial election priorities for the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association is public safety, with more police needed, but whether or not that is through the proposed Saskatchewan Marshals Service hasn’t been officially stated. SUMA President Randy Goulden explains that some members suggest the money should go towards more RCMP officers and others just want more boots on the ground whether it’s through the Marshals Service or the RCMP. She says, “We want to work with government, and we want to make sure that the funds, any funds put into policing, whether it’s municipal policing, RCMP, are best suited for those municipalities and get to where the people need them.”

What SUMA is asking for, from whatever party forms the next government, is more police for public safety. Goulden says, “We want to sit down with the provincial government and find out the best way that it can happen, whether it’s the Marshals Service or it’s the RCMP, we want more boots on the ground, and we need to continue talking about this.”

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities also includes the need for more police in its election priorities, but similar to SUMA, doesn’t specifically mention the Marshals Service whether for or against. If re-elected, the goal of the Saskatchewan Party government is to have the Marshals Service up and running by the end of 2026. This fiscal year’s budget includes $7 million towards the development of the service and then after it’s running, their forecast is an annual budget of $20 million.