SCOTT MOE PUTS COSTLY EQUIPMENT OVER ENDING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS IN SASKATCHEWAN

While crime increases Sask. Party plans to buy sound cannons for a unit that does not currently and might never exist

SASKATOON – Saskatchewan is in the midst of a serious public safety crisis that statistics show is worsening year over year, but rather than investing in addressing it, Scott Moe and his Public Safety Minister are buying equipment for a unit that does not exist without a plan or mandate.

On Tuesday, a Request for Bid issued by the Government of Saskatchewan and Ministry of Community Safety for equipment for the Special Response Unit (SRU) of the Saskatchewan Marshals, including "Long Range Acoustic Devices," will close.

However, the Marshals have admitted that the SRU has not been deployed yet, and even the number of officers included has not been determined.

"Violent crime is increasing across the province, Saskatchewan leads Canada when it comes to intimate partner and interpersonal violence, and month after month we see a worsening addictions crisis," said Hugh Gordon, Associate Shadow Minister of Community Safety.

"Scott Moe needs to state how much public money he plans to give to a non-existent unit of the Saskatchewan Marshals to buy expensive equipment that might never get used and won't address the realities of the public safety crisis that is underway."

Recently, it was learned that the Saskatchewan Marshals had recruited less than half its planned complement, and of those 28 Marshals, only 2 were recruited directly while the majority had been poached from other police services. Similarly, of those Marshals, only 17 are front-line constables.

"Years after it has been announced, this government has been unable to recruit a full complement of Marshals; now they are planning to spend more on equipment for a specialized team they might never be able to staff," said Gordon. "This is a spend-first, plan-later strategy that won't make our communities safer."

In the 2026-27 budget estimates, neither Minister Weger nor the Chief Marshal described this Special Response Unit as part of the Marshals' mandate in the budget.

"There is nothing in this plan that will end the domestic violence crisis we are seeing across Saskatchewan, nothing that will end the addictions crisis that is hitting cities across the province," said Gordon.

While the Request for Bids has not closed, Gordon demanded that the Sask. Party make it clear how much of the Marshals' budget is being allocated for equipment for an unstaffed, unplanned team without a clear mandate. The cost of a Long Range Acoustic Device for law enforcement can be tens of thousands of dollars per unit.

"The money spent on expensive equipment for a team that does not exist and might never be used is money that could be used to support second-stage shelters, to expand drug and alcohol recovery treatment, to tackle gangs, support victims, and actually make Saskatchewan a safer place," said Gordon.

"These are the priorities that Carla Beck and her team will invest in to actually make Saskatchewan communities safer and tackle the root causes of crime.

"It is time for change."

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