Saskatoon police request quotes for new SUVs and body worn cameras

The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) is hoping to add some new SUVs to its fleet and outfit about 40 officers with body cameras.

Requests for quotes on Sask Tenders were made July 13 and 15, respectively.

According to the site, SPS is looking for “a commercially available, cloud-based, turnkey Body Worn Camera (BwC) Solution from qualified proponents. The solution will provide SPS uniformed members the ability to capture video from a law enforcement officer’s perspective that is then stored and managed in a cloud-based Digital Evidence Management Solution (DEMS).”

The SUV request is for 21 Ford Police Interceptors.

According to an email from Communications Senior Coordinator Kelsie Fraser, the SUVs will replace existing vehicles. The replacement cycle takes place every five years or 200,000 kilometres. Last year, an additional 15 vehicles were also replaced.

Fraser says SPS sees about 15-20 replacements each year, and the new order is based on next year’s needs. Vehicles can take six months or more to actually get to Saskatchewan, especially with supply shortages because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fifteen of the 21 new vehicles will replace existing SUVS, five are for upgrades from regular vehicles to fully outfitted patrol vehicles and one is for a new fleet addition.

According to the 2021 SPS Operating Budget, $4,873,400 was set aside for capital replacement and operating costs of vehicles this year.

During Capital Budget deliberations in 2020, $491,000 was approved for body camera startup and staffing costs. Another $470,000 has been earmarked for future costs.

Officers are expected to begin wearing the cameras as part of a pilot project in early 2022.