Rural crime top of mind at SARM convention [Video]

At the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) midterm convention, rural crime dominated discussions, with leaders addressing concerns over escalating break-ins and thefts across the province.

“There’s lots of concerns about rural crime in rural Saskatchewan, and it’s getting worse,” acting president of SARM Bill Huber said. “There’s more break-ins.”

The provincial government is working to implement its new Saskatchewan Marshals Service, a law enforcement initiative aimed at addressing crime in rural areas. While SARM supports the additional resources, Huber emphasized the importance of integrating the service with existing RCMP efforts.

“Try and station some of those folks in the north of the province,” he said. “Then that might free up a few RCMP officers to fill up the void in southern Saskatchewan.”

However, Tim Brodt, chairperson of the Saskatchewan Rural Crime Watch Association, expressed skepticism about the Marshal program, suggesting the funds could be better spent on bolstering RCMP …