A New Policing Plan for the Downtown and Riversdale 98cool.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from 98cool.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
SASKATOON Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) has sworn in five Alternative Response Officers as a new tier of public safety service. “By providing a supporting role to enforcement and investigative support they will increase the availability of regular police officers to respond to calls for service,” SPS said in a news release. The officers are now officially walking the beat, facilitating outreach and referral services and helping regular patrol officers and members of the traffic division, police say. They look different than regular officers, with grey shirts, special constable patches and a distinctly marked vehicle. Police say the development of the program was a multi-year process which included a community needs assessment.
Alternate police officers start patrolling Saskatoon s downtown and Riversdale areas
The Alternative Response Officers (AROs) are part of a one-year pilot project working on outreach and referral services, and assisting regular patrol officers and members of the Traffic Division.
Social Sharing
CBC News ·
Posted: May 17, 2021 1:56 PM CT | Last Updated: May 17
The new alternative Saskatoon officers are intended to offer residents more access to support and a different tier of policing, while also saving the city money.(Saskatoon Police Service)
Five new special constables are out walking the beat in the Saskatoon Riversdale and downtown areas.
The Alternative Response Officers (AROs) are part of a one-year pilot project working on outreach and referral services, and assisting regular patrol officers and members of the Traffic Division.
SASKATOON A new type of officer is set to hit Saskatoon streets in the spring. The idea for Alternative Response Officers (AROs) moved forward during a Board of Police Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. Saskatoon Police Insp. Darren Pringle wrote the report about AROs that was brought to the police board. Pringle said AROs won’t carry a gun and will wear a different uniform than regular constables. The officers will only carry pepper spray and a baton. The Saskatoon Police Service plans to hire four of these special constables. The officers will work day shifts. They’ll focus on community outreach and their duties will be less risky than regular cops, according Pringle.