POP: Community Safety Officer Program
POP: Yes
Res #: POP 5-19A
Number: 5
Year: 2019
Midterm: No
Expired: No
Responses Received: Yes
Departments: Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing
WHEREAS costs associated with implementing a Community Safety Officer Program (CSOP) are deemed by the provincial government to be the responsibility of municipalities;
WHEREAS the start-up costs are significant to implement a CSOP, being too large for many rural municipalities to afford;
WHEREAS the presence of Community Safety Officers (CSO) aids and/or replaces some of the dwindling presence of rural RCMP and Highway Patrol Officers (also known as DOTs);
WHEREAS when a CSOP exists in a municipality it can potentially reduce the workload and pressure on provincial resources;
WHEREAS it is to the province’s benefit if there are more CSOPs in place throughout the province;
BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to provide funding and/or incentives for municipalities to engage in a Community Safety Officer Program if they wish to do so.
Responses From: The Ministry of Government Relations
April 18, 2019
Point of Privilege Resolution POP 5-19A is being forwarded to Mr. Gavin Nash, Director with the Policing and Community Safety Services branch for the Ministry of Corrections and Policing for their information, as the Community Safety Officer Program is within their mandate.
Municipal Revenue Sharing provides unconditional funding and is based on the value of .75 of 1 point of the Provincial Sales Tax from the second preceding year. This will result in Municipal Revenue Sharing funding of $251 million in 2019-20, an increase of approximately four per cent over 2018-19.
Municipal Revenue Sharing is provided without conditions on how it is spent locally. Municipalities are able to use this funding to address local priorities, which could include the Community Safety Officer Program.
Warren Kaeding – Minister of Government Relations
