Sask. RCMP recruiting across Canada to fill vacancies

WATCH: There is a shortage of RCMP officers in Sask., so members from other provinces are filling in for weekly shifts. Hallee Mandryk reports.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are calling members across Canada to assist with relief in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as the two provinces see their already high number of vacancies growing.

Members who can help provide immediate relief are being asked to serve two week stints within areas that are seeing particular difficulty in filling vacancies.

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A change in operation implemented about two years ago has allowed cadets to choose their placement as opposed to the prior practice of being assigned to particular areas.

“Some divisions did quite well, others did not. And Saskatchewan, Manitoba, traditionally we’ve been supplemented by members from outside the province that have been posted here. So without people choosing to come here as much, we’re seeing some declines in the number of cadets that we were receiving,” RCMP assistant commissioner, Rhonda Blackmore said.

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An additional factor, Blackmore speculates, is the record number of homicides both Saskatchewan and Manitoba saw last year.

“Those investigations take a lot of resources and a lot of time. So as we see those two sort of a double hit, vacancies combined with that increasing violent crime, there’s definitely been a determination that there’s the highest need right now is in Saskatchewan, in Manitoba,” she explained.

The Government of Saskatchewan has said it is committed to providing the necessary support for the province’s police force.

“We’re prepared and committed to fully fund all of the authorized positions for the RCMP across the province, and in doing that, we are also adding significant positions to the municipal police forces and through the Marshal service.” Tim McLeod, minister of policing and public safety told CTV News.

McLeod shared that he has been in close communication with RCMP in regards to the issue of vacancies in the province.

“The RCMP having national jurisdiction are much like a security blanket laid over the entire country. So the more officers or the RCMP that we can have serving our rural and remote communities, the better those communities are served,” he added.

In the meantime, several initiatives have been introduced within the RCMP to help meet the need.

“If you are an applicant to the RCMP, regardless of where you are right now, we currently are experiencing a bit of a backlog in some of our applicants and our suitability processing,” Blackmore explained. “But if you select Saskatchewan or Manitoba, your application will be put to sort of the front of the line because of the urgent need in our two provinces for resources.”

The assistant commissioner also emphasized an initiative which came into effect in December - which allows RCMP cadets from both Ontario and Quebec to sign a memorandum of understanding which will place them in Saskatchewan for three years, after which, they are guaranteed relocation to their home province, should they choose to leave Saskatchewan.

“So huge benefit to us right now because we’re getting cadets and additional members. But also a huge benefit to those provinces because those cadets are coming with significant experience,” Blackmore said.

“They’ve arrested individuals, they’ve taken statements, they’ve done interviews, all of those pieces that they can then work on some of those larger federal projects that will give them some great experience and serve them well in those divisions.”

Blackmore shared that while there are no specific incentives in place, she urges prospective members to consider some of the practical benefits of relocating to the prairies such as the lower cost of living compared to more urban centres.

Those currently working within Saskatchewan are working collaboratively to fill the gaps.

Both Blackmore and the rest of Saskatchewan RCMP’s leadership have been carrying out relief work in the communities in need of help.

“It really is an all hands on deck type of situation,” she concluded.

“You know, we’re certainly not looking for others to do something that we’re not willing to do ourselves. We just really need that help right now.”