Statistics Canada says the rate of police strength across Canada has been declining since 2011. As of May 15, 2018 there were 68,562 officers in the country, 463 fewer than the year before. The rate of police strength decreased by two percent to 185 officers per 100 thousand population. That’s the lowest it’s been since 2001. Rate of police strength fell in nine provinces with the biggest decline here in Saskatchewan, falling eight percent. The province nearest to that was Ontario with a drop of 4 per cent. Stats Canada says Saskatoon’s population grew by eight per cent between 2014 and 2018, while the number of police officers grew by only 3.6 per cent. The number of male officers in Saskatoon has grown by about six per cent. The number of female officers has declined by about four per cent. In 2014, women made up 25 per cent of the city’s police officers. By 2018, that had fallen to 23 per cent.