Where most police street checks happen in Saskatoon
Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) says all of the 189 contact interviews conducted by its officers last year complied with policy.
"With the policy now firmly established, ongoing contact interview activities can be expected to continue at the new moderate levels but with very high policy compliance," SPS said in a report to the Board of Police Commissioners to be received as information at Thursday's meeting.
The SPS report, completed annually, comes after the Saskatchewan Police Commission introduced a new provincial policy on contact interviews in 2018. In a contact interview, commonly known as a street check or carding, officers approach members of the public for identifying information. The approach has been criticized for being implemented unjustly. In Ontario in 2019, a judge found that officers there have disproportionately stopped black and Indigenous people.
Under the Saskatchewan policy, the information officers aim to obtain must be more than general information common to the community and not related to a specific incident or offence. A member of the public's participation in a street check is voluntary and all street checks must be noted and submitted to the police database.
Authorized reasons for conducting street checks include:
- The lack of any apparent reason for the person to be in a particular area, such as a commercial or industrial area late at night when those premises are closed
- The person's actions, behaviour or demeanour raise a concern regarding their purpose or safety
- The person appears lost, confused, frightened or in need of help.
Under the policy, police cannot conduct a street check just because a person's location is in an area known to experience high levels of criminal activity and/or victimization. Police also cannot conduct street checks on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender or other grounds protected under human rights legislation.
Street checks in Saskatoon appear to have been concentrated downtown and along 20th Street last year, according to a heat map in the report. Smaller hotspots include 115th Street in Sutherland, the Idylwyld and 33rd Street area, and around Warman Road and 51st Street.
A heat map of street checks conducted by Saskatoon police in 2021. (Saskatoon Police Service)
The report says the number of street checks being conducted by Saskatoon police has declined following the implementation of the policy. In 2020, police conducted 239 street checks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.