Saskatchewan Party leader promises more power for police to address public nuisances

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe promises more power for police to address public nuisances if re-elected on Oct. 28. (ChadHills/CTV News)

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe says he would get tough on those disrupting the public and will shut down nuisance properties if re-elected premier on Oct. 28.

Moe says he would amend legislation to provide police with additional authority to address intoxication, vandalism and other disturbances on public property.

He says the measure would allow business owners to designate police as authorized representatives, giving officers the power to remove people from businesses without needing permission on a case-by-case basis.

Moe also says the legislation would let officers address abandoned buildings that have been repeatedly broken into or have trespassers squatting inside.

He says the plan would build on the Saskatchewan Party's record of hiring more police officers.

Moe says his previous government has funded 180 new RCMP positions, plans to hire 100 new municipal officers and 70 more through the Saskatchewan Marshals Service.

"We want to strengthen our laws to make sure those officers have the tools they need so everyone in Saskatchewan feels safe in their communities and neighbourhoods," Moe said in a news release.

"We know that most crime today is driven by drug addiction, so it also means having treatment beds available when an individual is ready to get help. That's why our government has been increasing the number of addictions treatment spaces available in Saskatchewan."

Carla Beck's NDP has also made crime a key part of her election platform.

Beck has said her party would scrap the marshals service, which is anticipated to cost $20 million per year once operational. She said she would use those dollars to hire 100 Mounties and expand detox services.

She has also said she would hire 100 municipal officers through the funding that was promised by Moe's Saskatchewan Party government.

The NDP took aim at Moe's record, saying crime has increased under his watch as premier.

It said crime rates in the province have hit a 10-year high, with significant problems in rural areas and in Prince Albert, which was ranked the third-most-violent city in Canada last year.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.