Government of Saskatchewan/Saskatchewan RCMP: Saskatchewan Crime Watch Expansion

April 18, 2019
Province-wide, Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network is expanding to include central and northern Saskatchewan.

The network allows RCMP detachment commanders to send text messages, emails or phone calls to residents with information about criminal activity in their area. Residents can then contact the police with tips related to the advisory.

The Government of Saskatchewan is providing approximately $50,000 for the RCMP to operate the Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network.

“People are the eyes and ears of a community,” said Battlefords MLA Herb Cox on behalf Minister of Corrections and Policing Christine Tell. “Every new person who signs up for the program boosts the reach of the network, allowing the RCMP to more effectively communicate with rural residents about crime in their area.

The crime watch network was initially launched in March in southern Saskatchewan. Since then, people across the province have expressed interest in the program.

“This now wide-reaching network, coupled with our existing crime prevention programs and strategies, has created an environment where we are all able to contribute to community safety,” said Assistant Commissioner Mark Fisher, Commanding Officer, Saskatchewan RCMP.

“SARM is encouraged by the expansion of the Crime Watch Advisory Network,” stated Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities President Ray Orb. “Crime prevention is key in ensuring our rural communities are a safe place to call home, and it takes all of us working together to do that.”

“Expanding the advisory network means residents in all of our hometowns can now sign up and receive reliable information directly from the RCMP,” said Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association President Gordon Barnhart. “With the information at their fingertips, residents can help reduce opportunities for crime, increasing the safety in our hometowns.”

Visit www.saskcrimewatch.ca to sign up for the Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network.

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Statement from Saskatchewan RCMP

Since announcing the launch of the Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network in the southern part of the province early last month, we have seen positive results.

Of the 5,400 people who have joined the network so far, a significant portion of them have signed up to receive notifications from RCMP Detachments in Central and Northern Saskatchewan. Considering this, and feedback we have received from our Detachment Commanders, we will now be including the entire province in the network.

This means that people from all across Saskatchewan are able to sign up to receive credible and timely crime prevention information directly from their local RCMP or any detachment areas they wish to receive notifications from.
With this information, citizens will be in a better position to report tips and information to their local detachment.

This now wide-reaching network, coupled with our existing crime prevention programs and strategies, has created an environment where we are all able to contribute to community safety.

While the network has only been active for a short while, we are already starting to see its benefits…

On March 27, the Milestone Detachment received a report that an ATV was stolen from a local business. The Detachment issued an advisory about the theft via the network.

A short time after the advisory was sent out, a resident contacted police to report they had seen an ATV that matched the description of the stolen one.

Because of the tip received, Milestone RCMP were able to investigate further.

On March 30, an update was issued advising that the incident had been resolved – the call-in of this information led to the recovery of the ATV and charges against one suspect.

This is but one example of how the network is already proving to be a successful tool.

And while the recovery of stolen property is important – the critical element in this example is how the police and the public worked together to solve a crime.

Whether you live in a rural area, a village, town or city, an Indigenous community or elsewhere – you can benefit from being a member of the network.

We encourage everyone to sign up at www.saskcrimewatch.ca. It’s free and only takes a few minutes. You are able to choose the manner in which you receive advisories – text message, phone call, email or through the Everbridge app.

By joining the network, you are directly assisting the RCMP by being the eyes and ears in your community. It is imperative that if you witness a crime in progress or have been a victim of a crime, that you call police to report it. Not only does this assist with the crime at hand, the information assists us in our crime analysis and in establishing crime trends. It also assists us in making decisions as to how and where to deploy resources…

Just as we need engaged police officers, we also need engaged and involved citizens to contribute to community safety – this tool enables citizens to do that.

As the provincial police service, we are dedicated to the safety and security of the public and our officers. We are committed to providing the most effective and efficient policing possible to help keep our communities safe.

Once again, thank you to our partners and thank you to the people of this great province for your commitment to ensuring a safer Saskatchewan.

NT5