Daily Herald Contributor
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe defended his party’s commitment to public safety through safer communities and neighborhood plan during a campaign stop in Prince Albert on Thursday.
The plan which includes the addition of more Municipal police officers in the seven communities across Saskatchewan that utilized, municipal police forces including 17 in Prince Albert.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood,” Moe told reporters. “Wherever you may live in this province, you deserve to feel safe.”
The NDP has criticized the Sask. Party for how they have handled public safety, especially the decision to create new Marshal’s Service based out of Prince Albert.
On Thursday, the Premier defended his party’s record, arguing the number of SCAN (Safer Community and Neighbourhood) officers was doubled from 14 to 28. Since 2011, Moe said, the Saskatchewan Party has added an additional 192 RCMP officers into Saskatchewan and committing to funding an additional 180 RCMP officers on top of those 192.
Prince Albert Carlton NDP candidate Carolyn Brost Strom speaks to reporters on Thursday, Oct. 10.
If re-elected, Moe said his government would strengthen the Safer Communities and Neighourhoods Act to make it easier to shut down nuisance properties, such as abandon buildings that are repeatedly broken into. He also pledged to provide additional authority to address intoxication, vandalism, and other disruptive measures on public property.
“We want to strengthen our laws to make sure those officers have the tools they need so everyone in Saskatchewan feels safe in their communities and neighbourhoods,” Moe said.
Moe said the Prince Albert-based Marshal’s Service will support police forces while another 180 officers being added into Saskatchewan communities. Moe argued these additions would mean 500 new police officers in Saskatchewan.
“We know that an increase police presence and assistance that helps to keep our neighborhood this is why over 500 additional police officers that are being added to enforcement in Saskatchewan communities.” he said.
Moe said the government is taking a very coordinated approach providing recovery opportunities to those who have entered a life of addictions and the people that may need help with a mental health challenge and crisis in the communities.
Moe said voters need to ask themselves which party will make Saskatchewan residents safer, and the Sask. Party was the best option.
“Our approach is stronger laws and providing more addictions treatment, not the NDP approach of weaker laws and providing more drugs,” Moe said.
SUBHEADLINE: Sask. Party has failed to curb crime in Prince Albert says Brost Strom
Prince Albert Calton NDP candidate Carolyn Brost Strom said Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party sat on its hand while violence crime rose in Saskatchewan under their watch.
Speaking to reporters following Moe’s campaign stop in Prince Albert, Brost Strom said the Sask. Party leader chose to throw himself a parade instead of taking action on violent crime in Saskatchewan, which is the worst in the country.
“It’s important that we get tough on crime and tough on the root causes of crime,” Brost Strom said. “Scott Moe has been premier for seven years and what we’ve seen is an increase in violent crime in Saskatchewan and Prince Albert. It’s time for change.”
In a press release, the NDP said Prince Albert bore the brunt of the government’s failure to tackle violent crime. The NDP said Prince Albert was Canada’s third most violent city in 2023, with crime severity increasing by 13.5 per cent, and violent crime increasing by 18.5 per cent year over year.
Province-wide, Saskatchewan crime rates are nearly double the national average, and the crime-severity rate for the province has hit a 10-year high with rural crime at the worst in the country up with 16 percent since the last election.
The NDP has promised to scrap the Marshal’s Service and put the money towards hiring 200 more police officers, 100 for municipal police departments and 100 for the RCMP. The NDP has also offered a rebate for property owners who install security equipment.
Brost Strom said Saskatchewan residents can’t wait for the Marshal’s service to get up and running. She said residents need officers on the ground now.
“There has been a bunch of money sunk into the marshals with no new police officers,” she said.
The provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 28.
