ESTEVAN — Several RCMP detachments in the southeast have encountered staff shortages.
The Mercury reached out to the Saskatchewan RCMP, and while they don't disclose particular numbers, in the email they confirmed the problem exists in the Estevan and Carnduff detachments.
"The Saskatchewan RCMP does not provide specific detachment-level resourcing numbers for officer safety reasons, but we do acknowledge that there are vacant positions at the Estevan and Carnduff detachments," said Keely Grasser with Saskatchewan RCMP Media Relations.
She noted that at any given time, members can be transferring in or out of a detachment, or on vacation, modified duties, parental leave, training or ill, which all contributes to shortages of different scales.
Other previously-documented factors such as underfunding, the pandemic, job complexity and associated risks, distant and recent past incidents, exemplifying the existence of structural problems, and other issues also contribute to the decline of the organization's attractiveness and current staff shortages.
The staffing problem is not specific to the southeast and is experienced across the organization. The statistics from earlier this year showed that more than half of the provinces and territories that use the RCMP for frontline policing saw vacancy rates in the double-digits.
Efforts are put into recruiting in Saskatchewan and elsewhere, with the recruiters located across provinces and travelling to attract interest to the profession. However, even when they find people drawn to pursue a career with the RCMP, the process is time-consuming.
The average length of the RCMP application process is approximately six to 12 months. Those applicants who are successful in the process then attend 26 weeks of training at the RCMP Training Academy in Regina before they can take over the duties.
While efforts continue, the RCMP stressed that they find ways to fulfill the job.
"Our number 1 priority is the safety and security of the public and of our officers and when a policing need is identified, we work to address it. We have staffing strategies that assist us in addressing vacancies. For instance, Estevan and Carnduff detachments are currently working a temporary amalgamated schedule to ensure we continue to provide effective policing services to the community," said Grasser.
The Estevan RCMP polices the RMs of Browning, Cymri, Torquay, Coalfields and Estevan with communities spread as far north as Benson, as far west but not including Midale, which is policed by Weyburn, as far south as Torquay, and as far east as Frobisher. The southern boundary includes the Canada/U.S. ports of entry of North Portal, Estevan and Torquay.
The Carnduff RCMP polices the RMs of Argyle, Storthoaks, Mount Pleasant, Enniskillen, Moose Creek and some of Reciprocity with the Carlyle detachment, with their primary communities being Carnduff and Oxbow, and their boundaries going north as far as Alida, northeast as far as Bellegarde, east as far as Gainsborough to the Manitoba border, and west as far but not including Frobisher. They also police the communities of Storthoaks, Carievale, Glen Ewen and Alameda. Their southern border includes the Canada/U.S. ports of entry of Carievale and Northgate.
With staff shortages, they co-ordinate their work to cover such a big area effectively.
"Carnduff and Estevan RCMP work closely to schedule resources that best provide an adequate response to the combined detachment areas. The detachments are individually administered," said Saskatchewan RCMP Media Relations in an email.
"One of the benefits of being part of Saskatchewan's provincial police service is our ability to 'scale up' our police resources when required, by leaning onto neighbouring Saskatchewan RCMP detachments and specialized units (e.g., Emergency Response Team, Crime Reduction Team, Police Dog Services, Major Crimes). As with any organization, we welcome any additional resources that can help support the frontlines and provide increased opportunities for proactive community policing."
They also noted that whether urgent or non-urgent, every call for service to the Saskatchewan RCMP is important. Police respond to urgent calls for service first, but they take all reports of crime seriously and investigate reports thoroughly.
"Part of our police work relies on intelligence-led policing to identify trends and focus on those causing the most harm. This is why it is important to report all crimes in your area. We encourage the public to continue to report suspicious activity or crimes in progress to the RCMP. Every report helps us identify crime trends and manage our resources effectively," they added.
The Saskatchewan RCMP Recruiting Unit and Saskatchewan RCMP Indigenous Recruiting Unit constantly work to attract new resources. They offer both in-person and virtual recruitment events where members of the public can meet with recruiters to discuss policing as a career. Their recruiters not only meet with those interested in a policing career, but also work with applicants to mentor them throughout the RCMP application process.
Officer postings are filled based on operational needs. However, officers' interests and experience also play a part in determining where an officer will be posted, noted the recruitment unit.
"Saskatchewan RCMP recruiting is focused on recruiting individuals from Saskatchewan and giving them opportunities to be posted here in Saskatchewan and serve the communities they are from," the Saskatchewan RCMP Recruiting Unit representative said in an email.
"We are unique in that we provide policing services at the international, federal, provincial and municipal levels and offer over 150 specializations as potential career options for officers. As an RCMP officer in Saskatchewan, you can live in different communities all while having different experiences whether you live in the north, central or south part of the province. The RCMP offer a competitive salary, medical, dental and family health plans, as well as an excellent pension."
Additional information on the RCMP recruiting process, as well as qualifications, benefits and events, can all be found at www.rcmpcareers.ca.
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