Mixed reactions to new Sask. policing branch that amalgamates provincial peace officers

A move by Saskatchewan's provincial government to bring several policing groups under one umbrella is drawing mixed reactions, with supporters saying it helps to address rural crime and detractors fearing it will overburden officers.

"A lot of times we just throw more officers, and more responsibilities for those officers to do, without thinking about who is actually going to do it," said Scott Thompson, a University of Saskatchewan sociology professor specializing in policing.

"Are they going to have enough training? Are they going to be able to do the tasks that they're asking them to? And in many cases, police services are completely stretched in what we ask them to do already."

The Provincial Protective Services branch, which was first announced last November, began operations last week. The new organization is an amalgamation of several enforcement branches, including:

• Conservation officers.
• Highway patrol.
• Prisoner transport and court security deputy sheriffs.
• Wascana Park community safety officers.

The province's latest budget included $50.7 million to create the branch, which it says will oversee 450 people. Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Christine Tell said in a news release last week that the agency will make people safer in the province. 

The government did not respond to requests for information on how moving the groups under one agency would make people safer.

The University of Saskatchewan's Thompson said the new service runs contrary to movements that aim to lighten the duties police officers are expected to perform, like mental health or social work.

He said the branch seems to be expanding officers' duties instead.

"Are the duties that we're asking them to do just too much for one particular individual? Because now we need to have them do all the tasks of a police officer, but then also all the tasks of a conservation officer."

Conservation officers enforce environmental laws, often associated with hunting and fishing rules.

They do have the authority of police officers, according to the Ministry of Environment.

SARM welcomes new service

Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, welcomed the protective services branch, and said it will help people living in rural areas who don't always have quick access to police protection.

He said the agency will allow the enforcement officers to take on some duties usually performed by police.

"In a lot of the cases they're going to be like the first responders in a crime scene," Orb said.

"I think that's actually going to work, because in a lot of cases those officers are out in that rural area anyway. They might be first upon a crime scene or something like that, but working as well with the RCMP."

Verne Larson, a conservation officer based in Outlook, Sask., said conservation officers have been assisting with police duties for at least two years.

"We can respond to a break-in, and we have," said Larson, who is also a chairperson with the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union, which represents conservation officers, highway patrol officers and deputy sheriffs.

That could include responding to "all police-type calls, active shooter-type calls," Larson said, adding that conservation officers received extra training to take on these duties.

He said most conservation officers he's talked with aren't yet sure what to make of the new agency and aren't sure how it will affect their jobs.

"We don't know what the end goal is. I don't think our managers know what the end goal is," he said.

"When I talk to officers it's the apprehension of not knowing where we're going to go."