Bianca Bharti, Daily Herald
The newly revamped Commercial Vehicle Enforcement will aid in rural crime reduction. Starting Canada day, the renamed Saskatchewan Highway Patrol officers will support the provincial Protection and Response Team and are able to enforce Criminal Code violations.
“Drivers need to be aware that Saskatchewan Highway Patrol officers will now be enforcing traffic violations for commercial and private vehicles,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit said.
RCMP, municipal, Saskatchewan Highway Patrol and Ministry of Environment Conservation officers all make up the PRT.
“Increasing the presence of uniformed officers in rural areas will help deter crime,” Marit said. “It will also improve response times to emergency calls, including crimes that are in progress.”
Highway Patrol officers can also arrest and detain, respond to 911 calls, investigate impaired drivers and attend vehicle accidents.
The patrol’s new cars don blue strip on the sides with its name and crest.
