ALARMING STATISTICS ON RCMP SHORTAGES IN SASKATCHEWAN
“Saskatchewan had the highest number of Criminal Code Incidents
per Police Officer in three of the last four years.”

Ottawa – Responding to concerns raised by several communities in his Yorkton-Melville riding, M.P. Garry Breitkreuz, started looking for statistical evidence to support his constituents’ pleas that they need more police officers. “The first table I received from Statistics Canada (see Document #1 below) showed that in 36 out of the 44 Saskatchewan communities listed, the number of Criminal Code Incidents per Police Officer was higher than the national average of 43.3 in 2003. Nineteen of the cities and towns were showing rates more than twice the national average,” reported Breitkreuz.

The 2003 table shows ten communities that have the greatest need for more police officers as determined by the number of Criminal Code Incidents per Police Officer: North Battleford (254), Fort Qu’Appelle (163), Meadow Lake (162), La Ronge (159), Lloydminster (146), Kamsack (145), Yorkton (143), Hudson Bay (132), Humboldt (118), and Kindersley (114). “Obviously, the most serious police shortages are in communities and areas policed by the RCMP,” observed Breitkreuz. “Anyone with documents, information and concerns about the shortage of RCMP officers in Saskatchewan should send them to my office. I will be introducing a motion to the Standing Committee on Justice to investigate these shortages and report their findings and recommendations to Parliament.

Another table prepared by the Library of Parliament for Breitkreuz, showed that in three of the last four years, Saskatchewan led all provinces with the highest rate of Criminal Code Incidents per Police Officer (see Document #2 below). “There is no room for complacency in many of the other provinces,” warned Breitkreuz. “In 1962, there were just 19.7 Criminal Code Incidents per Police Officer for all of Canada. In 2003, this rate more than doubled to 43.3 Criminal Code Incidents per Police Officer (see page 23 of Police Resources in Canada, 2004 report below).

Unfortunately, the Liberals are unable to comprehend that when there are more police officers on our streets and highways, there is less crime. Consequently, over the last ten years, they wasted $2 billion dollars on a useless gun registry instead of hiring more police. Thanks to the Liberal government’s misguided public safety priorities, everyone in Canada is less safe and, as the 2003 statistics show, we’re the least safe right here in Saskatchewan,” concluded Breitkreuz.

(1) CRIME STATISTICS FOR 44 SASK. CITIES & TOWNS, 2003
http://www.cssa-cila.org/garryb/publications/2005_new/15.pdf

(2) CRIMINAL CODE INCIDENTS PER POLICE OFFICER BY PROVINCE, 1986-2003
http://www.cssa-cila.org/garryb/publications/2005_new/16.doc

(3) STATISTICS CANADA: POLICE RESOURCES IN CANADA, 2004
http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection-R/Statcan/85-225-XIE/0000485-225-XIE.pdf

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