Alternative response officers making 'positive connections' in Saskatoon
One of Saskatoon’s new special constables says the team is being viewed in a good light by citizens.
“We’re making positive connections with the people that we meet so far, and the uniform hasn’t been a barrier at all so far in the work that we’ve done. It’s actually been really good because they see our uniform and thank us for our presence downtown,” Micaiah Wines told CTV News.
Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) recently swore in five Alternative Response Officers as a new tier of public safety service. The crew will be finished training later this month and will officially start their role June 21 with two teams hitting the streets.
The officers are meant to facilitate outreach and referral services and help regular patrol officers and members of the traffic division, police say.
They are unarmed and look different than regular officers, with grey shirts, special constable patches and a distinctly marked vehicle.
Insp. Darren Pringle says the program was made possible through $350,000 in funding from the Board of Police Commissioners. There are similar programs in Vancouver and Winnipeg.
The new constables are specially trained in de-escalation and are specifically trying to make connections with people in the downtown area.
Pringle says the officers can write tickets include jaywalking, carrying open liquor and cycling on the sidewalks.
“They’re not there just to serve the business interest, we’re not there just to serve the interest of people who live downtown. The alternative response officers are downtown so that everybody can have some representation and everybody can be living and working and playing in the same space,” Pringle told CTV News.
Matt Brenner, another special constable, said their goal is to be approachable.
“We just want to be a presence in the community that people can be comfortable being around.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.