Fake and imitation firearms are creating real danger for police officers and the public in Prince Albert, police leadership said during a recent Board of Police Commissioners meeting, as weapons incidents continue to rise across the city.
Chief Patrick Nogier said imitation guns are increasingly appearing in weapons calls and cannot be distinguished from real firearms during active incidents.
“When you include imitation firearms, the number of guns involved jumps significantly,” Nogier told the commission. “In real-world conditions, whether it is daytime or nighttime, these fake guns look very realistic.”
According to police data presented to the board, officers seized 122 crime guns in Prince Albert in 2025. When imitation firearms are included, that figure rises to 210.
Nogier said the distinction between real and fake weapons does not reduce risk during police responses.
“You cannot treat it as a fake gun and work your way up,” he said. “You have to treat it as a real gun and work your way down.”
Police say the presence of imitation firearms also has a lasting impact beyond enforcement.
“Regardless of whether it is real or not, if someone flashes one of these weapons in public, the trauma to the community is the same,” Nogier said.
The comments come amid heightened attention on weapons incidents across Saskatchewan, including a recent incident involving a fake firearm at a Saskatoon hospital and the death of a Prince Albert resident. Police did not speculate on those cases but said the events underscore the risks associated with replica weapons.
During the meeting, Nogier outlined broader weapons trends in the city, noting a sharp increase in firearm related violent incidents.
Police reported firearm related violent incidents increased from 53 in 2024 to 118 in 2025, with the frequency rising from about one incident per week to roughly two and a half incidents per week.
He said officers are also responding to a wide range of weapons beyond firearms, including knives, blunt instruments, burning liquids such as bear spray, and other improvised weapons.
“In 2025, there were 638 violent incidents involving weapons,” Nogier said. “Every one of those files requires a significant investigation, evidence handling, and follow up with Crown prosecutors.”
Nogier said the rise in imitation firearms complicates that work, particularly during robberies and public confrontations where officers must make split-second decisions.
“These weapons force a full police response because there is no safe way to assume otherwise,” he said.
Police commissioners raised concerns about public safety and officer risk during the discussion, while emphasizing the importance of continued data collection and analysis to guide policing strategies.
Nogier said 2025 marked the first full year of the Prince Albert Police Service’s crime gun strategy, which is allowing officers and analysts to better track weapons trends and improve responses.
“As we collect more accurate data year over year, we will be in a better position to understand what we are seeing and how to respond,” he said.
Police stressed that imitation firearms may not carry the same legal classification as real guns, but their presence in public spaces presents the same immediate danger.
“This is what our officers and our community are confronting day to day,” Nogier said.
Police credit their crime gun strategy with a sharp increase in weapons seizures over the past year. Chief Patrick Nogier said 2025 marked the first full year the strategy was fully operational, allowing officers and analysts to better track, seize, and investigate firearms connected to criminal activity.
“In 2025, we took 122 crime guns off the streets of Prince Albert,” Nogier said. “That compares to 130 the year before, and when you include imitation firearms, the total rises to 210.”
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
