Saskatoon police chief says more than policing needed for city crime

Homelessness, addictions and mental health continue to be main plot points in policing efforts in Saskatoon.

Speaking to Gormley on Tuesday, Chief Troy Cooper of the Saskatoon Police Service said he and his officers have been seeing some obvious dotted lines connecting causal factors and crime trends in the first half of this year.

With challenges like addiction and related health impacts, as well as housing challenges, Cooper said violent crime and crimes against persons are remaining consistent with the levels seen last year in Saskatoon.

During this time of year, with the warmer weather, Cooper said it’s much more public — one in three assaults in Saskatoon is happening in public places or at a business.

“It’s visible to the community and it impacts, I think, the feeling of safety around you,” Cooper said.

An increase in property crime, mostly lower-level versions of the offence like shoplifting, is also being seen. Cooper noted that across the city, areas that are open with pedestrian traffic or have social supports and business communities are being more impacted by crime.

In keeping with the trend of addictions resulting in less severe crime, Cooper noted there are fewer break-and-enters into homes, but more break-ins happening with sheds, garages and closed businesses.

“You can see people are just sort of desperate measures. They’re looking for (an) easy opportunity to get something to sell to fuel their addiction,” Cooper explained.

He said police aren’t always able to make a direct connection between a crime and addiction, but longer-term trends show a fairly clear link.

Violent crime rates in the city are remaining consistent. Saskatoon typically sees between 10 and 15 a year, Cooper said. Seven have been reported in 2023 so far.

Cooper added that homicides usually involve people who are known to each other — not always in the form of an intimate partner, but sometimes connected to a group or gang.

The situation facing Saskatoon presently is unique for the city, Cooper shared, but not for the province or the country at large. Homelessness, addiction and mental health concerns are being seen and felt in all major centres as people’s needs are not being managed properly through available supports.

Cooper explained traditional policing methods are not working — with some individuals piling up thousands of dollars in fines or spending dozens of nights in jail and no change in behaviour.

Some individuals don’t wish to seek out services or treatments.

“That’s the group that’s certainly challenging for policing,” Cooper shared. “Using traditional policing methods is just a hamster wheel. We’re not making any headway.”

Referring back to a discussion held by the Chamber of Commerce in Saskatoon, Cooper said a strategic and co-ordinated response is needed that involves different ministries and resources from the city in alignment.

Putting a person in a house, Cooper said, won’t be successful without sufficient and proper supports and housing.