SASKATOON -- Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) could have a new category of constable walking the beat this spring to assist in situations that don't require fully armed police officers.
"With the formalized advent in Saskatoon of 'tiered' policing, a new layer of public servant is created," SPS Insp. Darren Pringle writes in a report heading to the Board of Police Commissioners next week.
"This new layer, unarmed and possessing a different mandate from armed peers, is more likely to be immune from the discomfort that some community stakeholders feel in the presence of armed police," Pringle said.
The Alternative Response Officers (AROs) would be sworn in as special constables and would increase the availability of regular police officers, according to the report.
The duties of the special constables will include assisting regular officers in intervening in disturbances when it is deemed safe to do so, providing outreach to vulnerable people and assisting in scenarios where the presence of an armed officer is not needed.
Some of the examples provided in the report include moving equipment used for traffic enforcement, taking complaints and guarding crime scenes that, while considered low-risk, still require a sworn SPS member to be present.
While their uniform will make it clear that they are affiliated with SPS, its distinctive design will allow the constables to be easily identified as AROs.
The development of the ARO program has been a multi-year process, that first began in 2017, according to the report.
The AROs could be deployed as early as May.
Funding for the program was previously earmarked in the 2021 SPS budget, the report said.
According to SPS, there will initially be four unarmed constables serving as AROs.
Chief Troy Cooper declined to comment on the report before it heads to the board for review.
SPS is currently hiring for the position.
