Released on February 7, 2019
The Ministry of Corrections and Policing is providing nearly $330,000 to Saskatchewan municipal police and community-based organizations (CBOs) for new policing tools and programming through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Program. In accordance with legislation, approximately $280,000, an amount that matches what was provided to municipal police services, will also be deposited from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund into the Victims’ Fund.
“Government is proud to be able to provide this funding to Saskatchewan’s municipal police forces so they can use it to buy the tools they need to keep our communities safe,” Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell said. “The distribution to the Victims’ Fund will also continue to provide for important victims services in this province such as counselling, medical bills and the replacement of valuables.”
The funding will be used to provide for technology and programming such as:
- an Avatar III robot, modular cameras and rifle scopes (Regina Police Service);
- a robotic search stick, a vented drug processing cabinet and an ION scanner (Saskatoon Police Service);
- lightweight body armor and helmets (Prince Albert Police Service);
- off-road equipment (File Hills Police Service);
- a youth cadet corps program (File Hills Board of Police Commissioners); and
- other tools and programs further described in the backgrounder.
“Municipal police services greatly appreciate the financial support provided by government through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund,” Chief of the Weyburn Police Service and President of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police Marlo Pritchard said. “These additional, unbudgeted funds allow Saskatchewan police services to acquire additional equipment, which assists in increasing the safety and security of the communities in which we serve.”
Saskatchewan’s Civil Forfeiture Program, through The Seizure of Criminal Property Act, 2009, seeks the forfeiture of property that is considered to be proceeds or an instrument of unlawful activity. Any cash resulting from the forfeitures is deposited in the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund.
Under The Seizure of Criminal Property Act, 2009, when funding is disbursed to a police service, equivalent funding is deposited from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund into the Victims’ Fund. This year of the approximately $330,000, nearly $50,000 will be distributed to CBOs and $280,000 will go to police services. This will result in a matching $280,000 to be deposited from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund into the Victims’ Fund.
In the spring of 2017, an addition was made to the regulations to allow money from the fund to go to community programs or activities designed to promote public safety. This is in addition to the support the fund already provides to police operations and the Victims Fund.
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For more information, contact:
Noel Busse
Corrections and Policing
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8959
Email: noel.busse@gov.sk.ca